Pokemon Conquest: Black Butterfly
by Mephilia Venus
Summary: No was not always the infamous and mysterious warlord of Spectra. Before she claimed her throne, before she met Nobunaga, and before she became a warrior, she was a girl who had everything stolen from her. Raised in exile, she returns to Spectra with one goal - to strike from the shadows and retake what is rightfully hers. May Arceus help all those who stand in her way.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! While I believe this story serves fine as a standalone, and you're welcome to read it as one, it is intended to be a prequel to my other ongoing Pokemon Conquest fic, _Flame of Hope_. I'm separating them for two reasons. Firstly because the origin I created for No is much more extensive than Ginchiyo's, Aya's, or Ina's, and it ties directly into Nobunaga's rise to power as well. I didn't want to bog down multiple chapters of FoH attempting to tell an abridged version that wouldn't provide as much insight into No's character as I would like. Secondly, No's story in this universe is just inherently darker than anyone else's (and if you've read FoH, yes, I feel that even includes Okuni's). I've hinted at it in the main narrative, and while FoH also has its fair share of bloodshed, it's just not at its core intended to be as sensual or violent as this will be. So with all of that in mind, I hope you enjoy the sordid tale of Spectra's most infamous warlord.**

 _ **Prologue**_

After three unforgiving weeks of fleeing on foot, they could finally make out the silhouette of Nixtorm's castle, built out of the glaciers overlooking the northern sea. Leading the group was a regal, dark-haired woman in a fur-lined kimono that had been faded by travel. The events of the past month had mercilessly carved into her features, hollowing out her face and filling her violet eyes with fatigue. Trailing behind her were her three remaining guards, and a child of eight years cradling a cloth doll sewn to resemble a Litwick.

The snow that had been both impeding their progress and concealing their path from pursuers throughout their journey was finally letting up, as though it sensed the conclusion of their flight was at hand. It still lightly floated down from the gray sky as they broke for the road, but for winter in the Ice kingdom, it was the best weather they could dare to hope for. The woman in front lowered the hood of her kimono, her eyes desperately seeking the gate into the city that would guarantee them safety.

She heard the girl's footsteps as the snow crunched beneath her small feet, and turned as she felt a tug on her sleeve. "Are we almost there, mother?" the child's voice asked. "We've been walking for so long now. My shoulder hurts again, too."

"Very nearly, No," Hideko reassured her daughter. "Lord Akechi has promised us safety within his walls. Come tomorrow, we shall begin to reclaim what was stolen from us."

It had only been a month, yet it had been a longer month than Hideko once ever thought possible. A month since her sister had risen up against her and stolen Spectra's throne, forcing Hideko and the guards still loyal to her to flee their own kingdom. A month since Hideko's beloved Chandelure had sacrificed itself to allow its partner to escape the castle. Hideko felt the absence of its wavelength every day like a severed limb.

After a week of hiding outside the city, she had dared sending soldiers back to rescue No. Hideko held no doubts in her mind that if she had left her daughter behind, it would have only been a matter of time before Fuyuka deemed No a threat and ordered her killed. And so No had been reunited with her mother, but not without bloodshed. Ultimately, retreat had been their only option. Even after Hideko had called upon Spectra's alliance with Nixtorm, they had barely managed to stay ahead of Fuyuka's assassins as they crossed into the neighboring kingdom. All because Hideko had not seen her sister's escalating madness until it was too late, and now all of Spectra would suffer for it.

"We're almost there now, No," Hideko reiterated, stumbling forward on exhausted legs. One of her guards moved forward to offer her support. "See, there's a guard tower up ahead. We'll hail whoever is inside, and they'll bring us into the city. We're so close. Soon we'll be sa-"

At first, No didn't understand what was happening. Her mother hadn't been wearing any jewelry when they fled Spectra, but now a thin scarlet line had appeared at her throat. Then Hideko's body crumpled, and the pristine fallen snow was spattered with bright spots of red. That was when No screamed.

The guard's hand still clutched the offending dagger, and to No's horror, the blade was now pointed towards her. She took a step back instinctively, too petrified to think. Hideko's remaining two guards drew their weapons and advanced on the assassin within the same breath, but weeks of sleepless nights and harsh travel had left them in poor shape. No watched helplessly as the first was overpowered within moments. The second, however, was able to drive his dagger into the assassin's side, and the woman let out a cry of pain. The two warriors locked blades, not even an arms' length from each other. No screamed again, and the sound drew the guard's attention.

"My lady, run!" he shouted. In that moment, the assassin took advantage of his distraction and swept her dagger upwards. The guard was silenced in a sickening gurgle as his own throat was slit, spraying No with even more blood.

No turned and ran as fast as her small, worn-out body could manage. The doll she had carried all the way from Spectra fell to the ground forgotten as she sprinted back into the forest.

All No could hear was her own panting as she blindly ducked beneath snow-laden branches, the blood rushing in her ears as she barely jumped a frozen stream in time. More screams fought to escape her chest, but she held them back, knowing the woman who had done those awful things couldn't be far behind even with her wounds. Between gasps, No silently sobbed as that final image of her mother collapsing face-first into the snow replayed in her mind.

In the end, it was No's body that gave out. Her legs folded beneath her, and her knees crashed to the ground. No's head whipped around, violet eyes wide, as she scrambled to find anywhere she could hide. There - a hollow barely big enough to conceal her, between the roots of an old pine tree.

She tried to stand, but her feet slipped on the freshly-fallen snow. Her legs were refusing to bear her weight any longer. The reality of the situation crashed down onto the eight-year-old girl like an avalanche. She was going to die like those guards and like her mother if she stayed out in the open.

Furiously reaching out her arms now, No began to drag herself towards the hollow. It wasn't even five yards, but the distance was all of Ransei to her exhausted muscles. Finally, after an agonizing eternity, she was somehow able to crawl inside. No did her best to block the entrance with snow, then brought up her hood and curled into a ball.

She wanted to fall asleep and never wake up, but how could she after what she had just witnessed? Her mother was dead. Arceus almighty, her mother was dead, No was lost in a strange kingdom, and her mother's killer was still out there somewhere, searching for No to finish the job. Now the tears came, a flash flood of tears, and No could do nothing to stop them.

How long she stayed inside that hollow, No couldn't tell. She was dressed for winter, but the cold still began leeching into her bones, making it even harder for No to move. She lifted her head, and found that the last of her tears had frozen on her cheeks. No knew that people could die from being in the cold for too long. But she didn't know how to start a fire, or if she could even find wood beneath all of the snow outside.

Outside. Something was moving outside.

No sucked in a breath and waited. The pile of snow she had blocked the entrance with shifted, and she began to scream once more, all thoughts of protecting herself gone. She still continued to scream even as a member of the Nixtorm castle guard jumped back and gestured to her companions. No kicked out, raking at the air, screaming and screaming and screaming as she was pulled free, all the fight remaining in her tiny body being released at once. Finally, one of the warriors among the patrol ordered their Munna to put No to sleep. Even afterwards, the echoes of her cries still hung in the frozen air.

When No awoke next, she was lying in an unfamiliar bed inside an unfamiliar room. Every part of her body felt as though she had fallen off the roof of Spectra's castle.

This time, when her mother's final moments returned to haunt her, No did not cry. She remembered, and she knew exactly who was to blame.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 1**_

* * *

 _The moment her feet were on the ground once more, Mitsuhide was practically at her throat, more furious than No had ever seen him in the six years she had spent in Nixtorm. "What in the name of the Legendary Pokemon were you thinking, No? You could have broken your neck! What could have possibly compelled you to climb onto the castle roof?"_

 _No didn't understand why he was making such a fuss. "I wanted to know if I could see all the way to Spectra."_

* * *

"Kicho? Can you hear me?" No's vision was filled by Miyuri's green eyes peering down at her, far closer to her face than necessary.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Miyuri said. "You were out cold. I was starting to think I might have to slap you awake."

"I may do that to you if you don't get off of me," No grumbled, ignoring Miyuri's pout as the dark-haired girl slid off the bed. Thanks to a spirit that had taken up residence in the castle kitchens, No had gotten little rest. As with most of the spirits she had dealt with over the last several years, it had taken her the better part of the night to draw it out and convince it to haunt someplace else. Such sleep deprivation was the cost of being the only medium in the castle, and having to conduct her work in secret.

Propping herself up, No scanned the small room for their other two companions, brushing a stray hair out of her eyes. "Where are Chigusa and Tsubaki?"

Miyuri shrugged. "You know Chigusa, she's always up at the crack of dawn. One time I told her she really doesn't need to bother, since it's not like Lady Fuyuka has ever left _her_ rooms before noon, but that just got her going. She told me I shouldn't disrespect Lady Fuyuka that way, so I told her it's not disrespect if it's a known fact..."

No picked up the folded clothing at the foot of her bed and entered the adjoining washroom, her roommate's chatter fading into background noise. She grimaced as she undressed and felt the thin sheen of sweat covering her body. The past week had been far warmer than autumn in Spectra had any business being, and the castle's temperature during the night had grown unpredictable as a result. But at least No was able to take her time bathing, time to drill herself on the cover she had spent the last four years building.

* * *

 _A hand grasped her chin, bringing her face up, and for the first time in six years No was suddenly face-to-face with the woman who had ordered Hideko's murder. No fought to keep her expression humble, despite the revulsion screaming within her. She could not afford to fail in this moment._

 _"What is your name, girl?" Fuyuka asked, inspecting No's face like one would a Miltank about to be slaughtered for dinner._

 _"Kicho, my lady," No murmured. She found the meaning fitting - returning butterfly. All she had to do was win Fuyuka's approval today, and then her plan could begin._

 _Fuyuka narrowed her eyes, and No was forced to admit the resemblance between her aunt and Hideko. They had the same facial structure, the high cheekbones and full lips. But while No shared Hideko's violet eyes, Fuyuka's were a cold steely blue. No realized too late that Fuyuka might notice the resemblance as well. What if word had somehow gotten out that Hideko's daughter had fled the safety of Nixtorm's castle? No barely ever prayed, but now she sent up a quick plea that Mitsuhide had realized raising an alarm would only put her in more danger._

 _"Do you have no parents? Any family at all?"_

 _Whether it was a sign of suspicion or not, No had been cautious enough to prepare for this. "I never knew my father, my lady. My mother and I lived in a village west of here for all my life. She was a seamstress, but about half a year ago-" No allowed her voice to catch, briefly looking downwards as though to blink back tears. "There was an accident. Her shop burned down with her inside. I've been on my own since then, but I have the skills she taught me."_

 _Just enough truths to balance out the lies._

* * *

No brought her head up from beneath the water, unsurprised to hear Miyuri still gossiping on from the other room, oblivious to her lack of an audience. No gradually tuned back in as she dried her hair. It never hurt to possess information that could potentially be utilized later, and becoming friendly with the nosiest servant in the castle had been one of No's smartest decisions.

"I mean, I did see Tsubaki getting _very_ friendly with that guard who has all the tattoos," Miyuri giggled conspiratorially as No re-entered the room, now wearing the purple kimono that served as their uniform. "So I guess it's not that much of a surprise that she didn't make it back last night, if you catch my meaning. You'd think Chigusa would be used to it by now, but she still acted so scandalized!" No gave a noncommittal nod and went about tying the outfit's gold sash around her waist. If Miyuri's only news was their roommate's fling of the week, that was nothing No was interested in. Ensuring she was always presentable, on the other hand, was far too important to skimp out on in her line of work.

The four of them were Fuyuka's personal handmaidens, hand-selected for the duty four years prior out of practically every girl in Spectra. Being one of Fuyuka's butterflies wasn't just No's ticket inside the castle - she, Miyuri, Chigusa, and Tsubaki were the highest-ranking of the servants, and No had an ironclad excuse for needing constant access to items that helped her conceal her true identity. Makeup to apply over the tattoo on her shoulder was crucial, and No still found herself inking protection sigils onto her skin when the full moon hung in the sky. But most importantly, it meant that on an almost daily basis, No was in direct contact with her reason for returning to Spectra.

In the first few months, No had pondered poison. It would be clean, and Fuyuka certainly had no shortage of enemies the act could be blamed on. However, No had only been fourteen then, and had come to realize that most warlords who would be willing to throw their support behind a child would be doing so in want of a puppet. Biding her time for the next four years had been a task, but in hindsight, No was glad that she had waited.

She had learned how to keep her powers at bay, and within the past year had begun testing the limits of her influence over spirits. It was slow going, but her cover would be beyond saving if the wrong person noticed how frequently spirits flocked to wherever No was. In the meantime, she had begun to seek out those within Spectra who could offer her their support, and even those whom No knew whispered that there was something unnatural about her were at least bayed by the rumors that had circulated in the wake of the incident two years earlier. Throughout it all, No's plan had evolved.

Under Fuyuka, Spectra was being run into the ground. No didn't need to overhear the whispers in the castle to know Fuyuka's personal spending was wreaking havoc on the treasury, and she had seen firsthand in Nixtorm how many warlords had found the nature of her aunt's rise to power disgraceful enough to withdraw their alliances with the Ghost kingdom. Should any warlord even see worth in invading Spectra now, they would find a second-rate, poorly-equipped army. Yet Fuyuka was able to hold onto her power, for nobody had been able to rally her subjects against her. After all, No was still widely believed to be in Nixtorm, now little more than a political pawn of the Ice kingdom after growing up within its walls for ten years.

And as for life within Spectra's castle, there was the Pokemon ban. Having been born without the warrior gift, Fuyuka's jealousy of those who did possess it had caused her to decree that no servant under her command could be discovered with a partner Pokemon, not even her handmaidens.

This had also complicated things for No. Despite being a magnet for the spirits of both humans and Pokemon, No still hadn't found a partner, and that wouldn't do if she wished to present herself as the better option over Fuyuka. She kept telling herself it was simply a matter of time, but there were only so many Pokemon in Spectra, and No hadn't felt a connection with any of them thus far. Why had she never thought to ask Mitsuhide about how he had met Lapras? As long as she was Kicho, attempting to contact him would be far too dangerous. Besides, No doubted that Mitsuhide would even recognize her now, much less want to hear an explanation for her disappearance from Nixtorm.

Returning to find her home in this state had been what ignited that spark of violence No had first felt in the days following her mother's assassination. In Nixtorm, No had begun learning to defend herself, both with her fists and with a blade. She had repeated those combat drills to the point of exhaustion during her time in Spectra, and taken similar care to study the castle guards whenever they trained. No fought like a serpent, biding her time from the shadows, waiting until the perfect moment to deliver the killing strike. And now she was eighteen, four years smarter and stronger.

No fell asleep every night and woke every morning knowing who she was, the vow she had made to herself the only prayer she needed. _"I am the heir you could not kill, Fuyuka. And I swear on every soul in the castle graveyard, your final sight is going to be me. Whether I cut your throat the same way my mother's was, or I feel your pulse fade beneath my fingertips, or I rip your heart out of your chest, you will die knowing who I am."_

* * *

Throughout Spectra, the players took their positions. No began another day as Kicho the handmaiden, accompanying her fellow servants out into the city. As always, she was mindful of the lunar cycle. Tonight was a full moon, and she could already feel its effect on the spirits. As she left a shop, something caught her eye, a man on the other side of the square accompanied by a two-headed Pokemon. No blinked, and they were swallowed by the crowd. It didn't matter.

At the northern gate into the city, a young man arrived with the morning. His partner, a Zweilous, attracted stares, but both warrior and Pokemon had grown accustomed to the poorly-concealed gawking. He found an inn close to the center of the city, and rented a room for an indefinite period of time. He didn't quite know what yet, but something was drawing him here, to this infamous kingdom of ghosts. He didn't see the handmaiden in purple notice him from across the square. Not yet.

On the outskirts of the castle grounds, a forgotten shrine rested, halfway enclosed by the forest. The inside was overgrown with dead plants, the altar nothing but eroded stone. But despite the decay, the place still held power. It stirred now, ancient ghosts whose names were written upon the walls waking for the first time in centuries. The shadows thickened, and dozens of voices softly clamored together as the outline of a woman materialized atop the altar. Hideko's ghost gazed out towards her former home.

It was beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 2**_

The first time No wandered in her dreams, she had just turned fifteen, and was reckless in her curiosity. She didn't yet bother to wonder where her consciousness was traveling at night. No would close her eyes in her bed, and open them next to find herself standing in a grove of wisteria trees, the canopies of purple flowers hanging thick enough to block out the scarlet sky. This was where the spirits first reached out to her.

Initially, the ones No came into contact with were little more than will-o-wisps - ghosts that had refused to move on, trapped between the realms for so long that they could no longer take on a true corporeal form. Touching them always left you with some sort of imprint, though. Perhaps if in life, they had pleasant memories of a meadow, you might smell a trace of wildflowers or hear birdsong on the breeze. If their death was violent, you would see a slash of blood or feel pain wherever the killing blow had been struck. However, you would never get a full life story.

Once No realized the presence of these wisps was an indication that her powers were maturing, she had quickly begun to seek out more. Every night, she would fall asleep visualizing the grove, hoping to draw more powerful spirits towards her. No's regard for her waking life during those several months became little. She figured she had been in Spectra long enough to slip under the radar, and her duties during the day were repetitive enough for her to practically sleepwalk through them. She never considered that perhaps she wasn't the only one gaining something.

* * *

 _"Tell me something else," No commanded. The spirit chuckled, the fabric of its robes flowing like water around its body. Its voice was neutral, and even after a month of almost nightly contact, No was still unable to discern whether it had been a man or a woman._

 _"So insistent, my host." But it indulged her request, as always. Through this spirit, No had learned that the grove she traveled to in her dreams was, in fact, part of the spirit world. Her presence had called the will-o-wisps to her, and her connection with this particular spirit allowed it to settle in the grove, always prepared to greet No upon her nightly return. "What do you wish to know?"_

 _No paused, thoughtful for a moment. This spirit was certainly more knowledgeable than any of the others she had encountered thus far. It had been able to answer all her questions about the spirit realm with ease - perhaps she should turn her inquiries to her own world._

 _"You said when we met that you had roamed Ransei for centuries. So you must have witnessed the lives of many heroes?"_

 _The spirit nodded approvingly, its face shadowed by its wide-brimmed hat. "Indeed, which tale shall I regale my most gracious host with? Perhaps that of Munetsune, the warlord who lifted Avia into the clouds? Or Megohime, the maiden of thorns? You remind me of her, you know. She too was a great beauty, even at a young age."_

 _No recognized that name. It was said the great maze that made up Greenleaf's battlefield had been planted in her honor after her death by her grief-stricken lover, the warlord. "Yes, tell me about her."_

 _"Of course," the spirit confirmed, reaching for its belt. Attached to the simple strip of leather were two objects: a dagger with a blade made of some black metal No didn't recognize, and a glass orb that contained lights shifting between every color of the rainbow. The spirit handed the latter to No, who knew what to do by now. Taking it into her hands, she focused on the lights, breathing in and out until the story revealed itself to her._

* * *

Her first mistake had been telling the spirit the truth about her identity - after all, No had figured, who would it have betrayed her to, and weren't these powers of hers supposed to make spirits do her bidding?

In truth, the spirit had held No completely within its thrall. There had been nobody to warn her, no previous matriarch to show her the nuances of communicating with the dead. Now, No realized how close her ignorance had brought her to losing everything.

* * *

 _Feeling something prickling against her cheek, No wearily opened her eyes to the predawn sky. Where had the ceiling gone? Then she realized she was no longer inside the castle at all, but lying in a bed of grass._ _For a moment, No struggled to make sense of her surroundings before a knife of dread twisted in her gut._ "It's happening again."

 _More and more over the past month, No had begun waking up in different parts of the castle, never the same place twice. Until now, she had assumed that for some reason, she had begun sleepwalking. But could she really have made it all the way past the guards? As she pondered this, No abruptly became aware of a sharp pain creeping up her arm. Looking down, she had to stifle the urge to scream._

 _The flesh on the underside of No's arm had been sliced open in a single clean line, and judging by the crimson blood dripping onto the ground, the damage was fresh. No clenched the fingers of her hand together, and had to look away as she saw the twitch of muscle within the wound. Covering her mouth with her uninjured hand, No tried desperately to remember if she had done anything out of the ordinary the night before. Her head spun, and her memories of the past day were blurring with those of her mother's death seven years earlier. There was so much blood._ "Blood," _No realized._ "I'm losing blood."

 _Fighting to keep her breathing steady, No began to tear a strip of fabric from the edge of her yukata. As she felt an unfamiliar weight at her hip, she froze, and for the first time since her return to Spectra, No felt truly afraid. Reaching for the weight as though it were a rotting piece of flesh, No struggled to keep her breathing steady as her fingers wrapped around a smooth grip, and she held out before her an all too familiar dagger._

* * *

The night afterwards, No learned the truth. Her spirit guide had, in reality, been a demon with power over illusory magic. No's lack of caution at concealing herself within the spirit world had drawn it to her. Once it began transfixing her with the magic of the orb, it took control of her body until she woke up, draining her of her strength the entire time. It then used her to create summoning circles throughout the castle that, with a strong enough blood sacrifice, could tear open holes between the two worlds.

No had been betrayed by someone she thought a friend, exactly like Hideko. No's fury at both herself and the demon was all-consuming. That night, she covered her hands in every sigil for protection and banishing that she had learned before leaving Nixtorm. The moment No touched the demon, she channeled all of that rage, and forced it out of her dreams for good. No learned to be careful after that. Now, she never trusted any spirit with knowledge that it could turn against her.

As the years went on and more spirits began coming to her in the waking world, No's amount of time spent in the wisteria grove lessened. Every so often though, she would still fall asleep to find herself among the purple flowers. Tonight was one of those nights.

She knew the limits of the grove by now. Sometimes No did wonder about the foreboding castle that loomed above the trees, but whenever she tried to ask spirits what its purpose was, she never received a clear answer. If she truly wanted to, No supposed she could venture beyond the grove's boundaries, but the likelihood of her being able to leave the spirit world should she grow lost was extremely slim. The grove was designed for humans, and all No had to do to leave was wake up. But beyond it, the laws of the spirit realm took over, and No knew it wasn't her place to go wandering. So she stayed put, content to allow whatever spirit who desired contact come to her.

Immediately, No sensed something different about the spirit waiting for her tonight. Its back was to her, but a faint purple aura radiated from the outline of its body, something No hadn't even encountered in demons. No narrowed her eyes, prepared to draw the blood that she would need for a banishing spell if necessary. Then the spirit turned, and the sight of her mother's face knocked the breath from No's body.

This had to be some sort of trick. No had encountered malevolent spirits that lured their victims in by impersonating a friend or loved one. After a moment of analysis, she decided not to deviate from the norm until she could gather more information. Recovering her composure, No inclined her head towards the spirit.

"Good evening, my lady. Have we been previously acquainted?"

The spirit resembling Hideko looked No over, although it was not one of the appraising glances No had grown accustomed to receiving from both the humans and spirits she interacted with. When it spoke, the sound of her mother's voice brought the few clear memories that No possessed of her early childhood in Spectra rushing back. "My child. Fate has brought you home."

What No needed was some way to force this spirit to prove its identity. The task would be simpler if Spectra's castle weren't full of spirits that easily could have learned to imitate Hideko's mannerisms. _"I refuse to be taken for a fool again."_

Feigning an overcoming of emotion, No gasped, unabashedly putting on the same show she had for Fuyuka four years earlier. "Oh, it is you! I've spent so long waiting for you to offer me guidance."

Drawing closer, the spirit held out its arms, clearly expecting No to rush into its embrace. "I know, my child. I had to be certain you were ready."

No straightened herself, wiping away nonexistent tears with a brush of her hand. "I am. I do have one question I would wish to ask of you, though."

The spirit's violet eyes were full of warmth as it responded, "Anything," but No refused to allow sentimentality to lower her defenses.

Raising her head, No hardened her voice, dropping the facade. "Prove that you are Lady Hideko. Tell me something no other spirit could possibly know."

For a moment, the silence that descended between the two women felt like the air before a lightning strike, charged and unstable. Then Hideko brought her hands together in a single clap. "Very good, No. You've ensured to learn on your own, I see."

The dark-haired spirit closed her eyes, seemingly in deep concentration. No watched in fascination as Hideko's ceremonial funeral garments changed into a tattered, fur-lined kimono, wrinkles etching themselves into her face as though some invisible hand was slicing a knife through clay. "I suppose this is how you remember me in my final moments," Hideko remarked, slashing a hand across her throat for good measure. "So exhausted that I couldn't even tell one of my own had been replaced by an assassin. If I only hadn't let my guard down, who knows how different our situations might be now."

"Mother..." No finally allowed herself to breathe the word. "Why are you here? Why didn't you come before now?"

Hideko looked around the wisteria grove with fondness, breathing in the faint scent of the blossoms. "I wanted to, No, you must know that. But first I needed to see that you were embracing your powers, putting them to use. Right now, it is still difficult for me to manifest, even with you knowingly seeking communication. It's another effect of my sister sitting on that throne and not you."

"You know why I've returned to Spectra, then?" No asked. Even in another world, it felt strange to be voicing the truth, setting aside the cloak of lies she had wrapped herself in over the past four years.

"I'm glad you have," Hideko responded. "In fact, if you so wish it, I believe I can offer you some assistance in your vengeance. I have my own grievances to repay, you know." She held her hand out towards No, the purple glow surrounding her intensifying. "Technically, normal spirits aren't supposed to transport humans between realms, but I feel this is a worthy exception."

No remained hesitant for a moment. "Where do you plan to take me?"

Hideko's gaze remained steady as she replied, "A place where you are awaited, by those who seek the same goal as us. No doubt you have passed it by innumerable times."

Well, No had been wondering how to proceed. Steeling herself, she placed her hand in Hideko's, the misty illusion of skin solidifying as it touched No's flesh. The overall sensation was like trying to hold ice in your bare hand.

The world around No dissolved into smoke, and for a moment the two women simply hovered in a void. Then, slowly, a stone wall constructed itself around them, and thin shafts of moonlight began to illuminate their surroundings as No heard the crunch of dead leaves beneath her feet. Looking around, she could now make out several faded paintings on the walls of the building, and beyond Hideko, a flight of stairs leading to a disused altar. They were inside a shrine, No realized. A shrine that didn't seem to have seen any use within the last decade or so, but a shrine nonetheless.

"Do you feel them?" Hideko asked. No was about to wonder what her mother meant, when she became aware of a low vibration in the air. Taking it in, No closed her eyes, allowing it to resonate through her body. At once, she began to hear dozens of overlapping voices murmuring in her ears.

When No reopened her eyes, she and Hideko were no longer alone. Along both sides of the steps leading up to the altar, dark-haired women in black kimonos stood in line, heads turned towards No. Even without her mother, No would have known who they were. The spirits of all the previous matriarchs.

No separated herself from Hideko, slowly advancing towards the stairs. As she climbed upwards, each ghostly woman reached out towards her, brushing No's arms or face with spectral hands. If No had felt power inside of her before, it was only a trickle compared to the ocean she now realized was at her command. When she mounted the final steps and stood before the altar, No turned back to face the parade of spirits. As a test, she raised her hand, and each woman bowed before her in a ripple. At the foot of the stairs, Hideko nodded towards her, and No turned back to the altar.

There was a new spirit hovering just above the cracked stone, and No realized it was a Pokemon. As the moonlight pooling through the hole in the ceiling cast its rays over the altar, No reached out to Misdreavus for the first time. As she felt the wavelength between them burst into life, No's senses sharpened, and she became aware of a pull coming from the castle. No, not the castle. The graveyard.

She had a partner, and finally the full extent of her power at her disposal. As No and Misdreavus turned their faces to the moonlight, No tilted her head back and began to laugh uncontrollably. Any trace of the girl she had been was gone. _This_ was her destiny, and she was here to claim it by the throat.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 3**_

No was reluctant to leave Misdreavus so soon after forging their link, but she had come too far to risk her position in the castle now. The last servant who had been caught with a Pokemon had needed to travel to Valora to find new employment, which was not an option for No.

Still, losing a night of sleep to become more acquainted with her new partner was worth the sacrifice, and they had enough time together before dawn to practice a few simple attacks. It was slower going than it would have been if No had an older warrior helping her to understand the finer details of the bond, but one advantage of a perfect link was that communication between warrior and Pokemon was much clearer. When No had interacted with ghosts before, there had still sometimes been a murkiness that made commanding them difficult. Nothing of the sort existed between her and Misdreavus.

When the first of the stars began to dim, No decided it would be easiest to have Misdreavus simply wait for her in the shrine. She would visit whenever she had spare time. With that arrangement made, No crept back past the guards and slid beneath the covers of her bed just in time for the first stirrings of the castle. Right on schedule, she heard Chigusa wake first, dressing silently and leaving without fuss - likely to the kitchens to supervise the preparation of Fuyuka's breakfast, No suspected.

Out of her fellow three handmaidens, Chigusa was the only one whose allegiance to Fuyuka was a concern of No's. Miyuri had unabashedly made it clear that her fondness of Fuyuka extended only as far as the meager stipend they received for their services, and while Tsubaki tended to play neutral when the subject came up, No had trouble believing she was a girl who aspired to a lifetime of servitude. But Fuyuka had truly raised Chigusa up from nothing, plucking the poor orphaned daughter of a prostitute off the streets of the city and remaking her into a glamorous, glittering butterfly. Chigusa's devotion to her in return was borderline slavish.

That she would be able to bring Miyuri and Tsubaki over to her side when the time was right, No had little reason to doubt. But Chigusa... No didn't want to have to kill her, but unless the russet-haired girl were to have a sudden drastic change of heart, it might be the only option. That bridge hadn't been reached just yet, though.

Facing the wall, No continued feigning sleep until she heard Miyuri and Tsubaki begin to wake. She "rose" with them, all three making idle conversation as they prepared for the day. As usual, they ate breakfast with the rest of the servants, although this morning Chigusa was waiting for them with a list in hand.

Miyuri and No had barely sat down when Chigusa began to speak, cutting Tsubaki off mid-sentence. "There you three finally are. I attended to Lady Fuyuka by myself this morning, so she saw fit to request that I relay our duties for today."

That raised a red flag in No's mind. It was entirely possible that all Fuyuka had done was give Chigusa some small praise that had gone to her head. But if Fuyuka had decided for some reason that an authority hierarchy among her handmaidens was now necessary, No had to ensure she would be the one at the top.

"Really now, Chigusa, there was no need to bear the burden all on your own," she began. The surprise that registered on Chigusa's face at the concern No infused into her voice affirmed for No that it had been the right course of action. "You should have woken me up, I really wouldn't have minded. It is our job, after all." Pausing for effect, she added, "In fact, why don't I help you tomorrow morning? I'm sure whatever Lady Fuyuka had you doing will be easier with an extra pair of hands."

"I... well..." Chigusa stammered. No had graciously backed her into a corner, and they both knew it. After a moment, Chigusa put on a clearly forced smile and responded, "Thank you, Kicho. I appreciate the offer."

"Of course." No finished the last of her tea before continuing. "So, what's on the list for today?"

* * *

By late afternoon, No exited the kimono shop with several different designs of brightly-colored fabric bundled in her arms. She hadn't been able to look at any of them too closely before they were thrust at her by the seamstress' apprentice, but No personally preferred the deep violet of her handmaiden outfits to the garish bolts of mikan and chartreuse that were meant for Fuyuka. They were truly all flash and nothing more.

The plan had been to divide and conquer, then meet back up in the heart of the city. Miyuri and Chigusa had both gone to the food market, and Tsubaki was likely near finished sorting through the castle's most recent order of cosmetics, if she hadn't already beaten No to the city square. Either way, No doubted she would be missed if she took a small detour. Glancing down the street to ensure that she wasn't being watched, No decided that it was safe and ducked into the alley beside the shop. Setting the parcels of clothing down, No sifted through their wrappings until she located the box that the seamstress' apprentice had slipped her before No had left.

Both the girl and her mentor knew who No was. The seamstress had originally worked for Hideko, and held no lost love for Fuyuka. But since No had revealed her identity to them, the seamstress had developed the unwanted habit of giving No gifts that No simply didn't need. On No's eighteenth birthday, she had tried to insist that No take a pair of amethyst earrings that were likely worth more than No had earned in all four years of her service at the castle. Fuyuka allowed her handmaidens small accessories along with their uniforms, No had explained, but those would have definitely drawn unwelcome attention.

This was the first new gift since then. No's hopes weren't high as she opened the narrow box, unless it was a new dagger. Her wish was halfway granted - it was a hairpin, admittedly much more subtle than anything the seamstress had tried to give her in the past. Silver, with one end carved to resemble a butterfly's wing and the other tapering off in a formidable-looking point. No supposed she might actually be able to pass it off as something she had purchased for herself. And while it likely wasn't anything that could end someone's life, she still doubted it would feel pleasant to be stabbed on the business end of the ornament.

 _"I can always get rid of it if it causes a problem later,"_ No thought, pulling her hair up into a loose bun and securing it with the pin. With that done, she retrieved the parcels from the ground and proceeded onward to the city center.

As it turned out, she was still the first to reach the meetup point. The heart of Spectra's city was a large cobblestone square that hosted most of the yearly festivals, surrounded by various inns and clustered with the caravans of traveling merchants. Despite it being well into September, the heat of summer was stubbornly persisting, creating an uncomfortable haze over the city. Judging by the uncharacteristic lack of people in the square, No suspected that most residents of the city were waiting in the hope of an evening breeze before embarking on their own errands.

Stopping as she heard something crumple beneath her foot, No knelt down and picked up a slightly torn piece of paper that looked to be some kind of flyer. That was right, there had been a pair of men in the square that morning advertising an event in the city. No hadn't recognized either of them as castle servants, but judging by the way they had known exactly which buildings to canvass, they were clearly residents of Spectra.

"What have you got there, Kicho?" Tsubaki's voice from behind her caught No off guard, and she hurriedly stood, scolding herself for not hearing Tsubaki's approach. Tsubaki peered over No's shoulder, seemingly interested in the flyer that No still had clutched in her hand.

"Oh, they're hosting fights at the barracks tonight? That's always interesting," she announced, her rose-colored eyes already gleaming. "Seeing as the warriors in the army are just about the only people in this city I meet with Pokemon."

No knew full well that Tsubaki's interest in the fights had much more to do with the warriors than their Pokemon. She had to admit though, it did pique her interest. Gambling wasn't as common in Spectra as it was in some of the larger kingdoms like Terrera, but from what No understood, plenty of people showed up to events like this just to watch. It would be more interesting than an uneventful dinner at the castle, and she could still make it back in plenty of time to train more with Misdreavus.

"I'm willing to see what all the fuss is about," No said.

"Then it's a date!" Tsubaki declared, clapping her hands together. "I'm sure Miyuri will want to come too, and maybe we can even drag Chigusa out if we gang up on her. By the way, I like the hairpin!"

Allowing Tsubaki to take the reins from there, No mostly just listened to the pink-haired girl chatter about the fights as the four of them walked back to the castle. 'Hopeless romantic' wasn't quite the term No would have chosen to describe Tsubaki (perhaps 'serial one-night-stand artist' was more accurate), but she certainly seemed convinced that before the night was out, she was going to have found her way into the arms of one of the victors. No didn't judge her for it. She just didn't see why it should be a concern on her own mind.

* * *

Unlike most kingdoms, Spectra's barracks were located within the city rather than existing as a wing of the castle. During her first year in Spectra, No had crafted a variety of excuses to enter the city whenever she wanted to watch the soldiers training. As she had later learned, the unorthodox setup was partially out of superstition and partially because of the way Spectra's city was laid out.

Many warriors considered it bad luck to bunk right next to the graveyard where their predecessors were buried, if not plain morbid. As well as that, Spectra was one of the few cities in Ransei that predated the construction of its castle. Even before the kingdoms had been divided up, there had still been an "army" defending this region of Ransei.

This factor meant that the barracks were ironically still a hotbed of spirit activity, but that was only part of the reason that No was so familiar with their layout.

The fights were held on the training field, with the audience occupying the second level balcony that surrounded it on all four sides. Anyone could enter, although most of the competitors tended to be lower-ranking soldiers. No didn't quite understand why the commanders allowed their troops to beat up on each other like this, but then again, they didn't have much else to do. The last news that No had heard of the war going on beyond Spectra's borders, Valora was still holding despite the combined efforts of Avia, Cragspur, and Yaksha. The Steel kingdom would have to fall before any other warlord could access the rest of northern Ransei, and No doubted that Mitsuhide possessed much interest in expanding Nixtorm's reach. The oligarchy that ruled over Dragnor had been similarly passive thus far.

They paid entry and found a spot in the crowd to look down on the field, Tsubaki expressing disappointment that they had already missed the first few matches. All competitors had the option of either physical combat or pitting their Pokemon against each other, although the latter was more common. No watched, impressed, as the short female warrior currently on the field maneuvered her Sandslash to victory against her opponent's Vileplume.

As the warrior took her money and was escorted back into the barracks, the announcer for the evening stepped onto the field. Despite the large crowd, her eyes seemed to find No on the balcony within moments, briefly narrowing in surprise. She nodded almost imperceptibly, a gesture No returned.

* * *

 _No did her best to appear as though she was resting as she leaned on the banister, discreetly watching the soldiers on the field below run through drills. There was no rule saying castle servants weren't allowed inside the barracks, and No had done her best to not establish a pattern of comings and goings, but her typical cover of being on a break between errands helped her avoid too many questions. The last thing she needed was for word to reach Fuyuka that one of her handmaidens had taken an interest in the only men under her command who were allowed Pokemon._

 _As several of the soldiers began executing an elaborate martial arts sequence, No leaned forward, her foot unconsciously tracing the patterns of kicks and leaps on the floor while she committed them to memory. She would attempt to recreate them later on tonight, possibly even adding in the dagger she had slipped from the armory if she could master the basic combination._

 _Another pair of footsteps approaching behind her indicated to No that she no longer had the second level to herself. No had been at the barracks long enough for the day, anyhow. She bent down to retrieve the satchel of tea that had been her excuse for venturing into the city just as a well-muscled woman in a captain's uniform rested on the railing beside her. Inclining her head, No made to quickly walk past until the woman opened her mouth._

 _"You know, there are some who would ask why a handmaiden would be trying to teach herself hand-to-hand combat," the woman remarked, not looking at No. No froze momentarily, debating whether or not to feign ignorance. Before she could respond, the woman continued. "But the way I see it, if a girl wants to learn to defend herself, it's not my business to ask from what."_

 _Now looking over her shoulder at No, she raised an eyebrow as No prepared to run, smiling with some amusement. "Trust me, I've chased down faster. If it matters to you, I'm the only one who's bothered to notice the real reason I suspect you've been coming here. Although a word of advice - either find an outfit better suited for concealing weapons, or store that knife you have strapped beneath your skirt somewhere on your person that's easier to reach. Where is up to you."_

 _Still defensive, No's eyes glanced between the woman and the stairs, although she didn't doubt the woman's claim that she would be able to catch up to No with ease. "You're not going to report me?" No asked._

 _The woman turned to face No, still maintaining her casual demeanor. "On the contrary, I was going to offer you some assistance, but I can just send you on your way if you prefer to train alone." Her copper-colored eyes flashed a challenge._

 _It was a tempting offer, but it seemed too good to be true. "What would you want in return?" No asked._

 _The woman laughed at that. "They might not teach you it up at the castle, but sometimes people genuinely offer helpful things like formal combat training with no ulterior motives attached. What can I say, you've got me curious."_

 _No took a minute to think it over. If this woman truly was making this offer out of generosity, she could be a valuable ally. And it would be easier to master more advanced fighting techniques with someone who had been in battle guiding her. Coming to a decision, No tentatively held out her hand. "My name is Kicho. I accept your offer."_

 _Grinning, the woman shook No's hand. "Come by here same time next week. If anyone stops you, just say you're here to see Eika."_

* * *

Eika hadn't changed much in two years. Her brown hair remained in its thick crop, and she still flaunted the large, jagged scar that marked her right bicep with pride. She had the perfect personality for this type of event, with her voice loud and commanding enough to keep the crowd at bay. Her Golurk stood right beside her, mirroring its partner's movements as Eika gestured to both incoming competitors.

"Up next, we have a crowd favorite-" She swept her arm out towards a young, well-built warrior with a Tauros at his side. He was all charisma, looking upwards to flash grins at the crowd and in general put on a show.

"That's Junkei," Tsubaki commented from beside No. "From what I hear, he's earned his reputation, although I haven't had a chance to get acquainted."

Eika waited for a hush to fall before beckoning the second fighter forward. "And his opponent, a newcomer traveling through from Dragnor!" Just the mention of the Dragon kingdom was enough to send several people around No leaning forward, all straining to be the first to catch a glimpse of the new warrior. No remained still, although her attention had been captured as well.

He entered from the side of the field No was facing, and even in spite of the distance between them, No's gaze was instantly drawn to his eyes. Something burned within them, the likes of which No had never seen before. It fascinated her, so much that she barely even noticed his partner until she heard Miyuri exclaim, "What kind of Pokemon _is_ that?"

The sentiment seemed to be shared by a fair portion of the crowd. While No recognized the two-headed Pokemon as a Zweilous, the majority of the people here tonight had likely never been outside of Spectra, much less seen a Dragon Pokemon up close. Well, it would certainly make things more interesting.

There was a momentary quiet over the field as both warriors lined up across from each other, their Pokemon stepping forward. Eika raised an arm into the air, then snapped it back down, and Tauros immediately charged.

To No's surprise, the warrior from Dragnor didn't blink - in fact, neither he nor his Pokemon seemed to be doing anything. As Tauros drew nearer, Zweilous planted its feet into the ground, then lowered it heads just as Tauros reached it. Zweilous brought them both back up in a Headbutt, hitting Tauros almost directly in the throat. Tauros let out a bellow as it was tossed into the air, carried by the momentum of its own charge.

An audible wince came from the crowd as Tauros hit the ground, and No could tell that Junkei had been caught off guard. She doubted many of his past opponents had ever been so brazen in their strategy against him. While Tauros struggled to find its feet, Zweilous advanced on it with a speed that No wouldn't have expected. Tauros had barely managed to stand before it was promptly knocked down once more by Dragon Rush.

Several members of the crowd began shouting at Junkei to do something. There was a satisfied roar of approval as Tauros' next toss of its horns caught Zweilous in its flank, throwing it several feet to the side. In return, it fired off a series of Dragon Breaths, not relenting until one found its mark.

The majority of the crowd was still rooting for Junkei, although No noticed that with each successful strike, the warrior from Dragnor was drawing more applause as well. Despite the fact that No hadn't planned to take any sides tonight, she began to find herself invested in the idea of seeing him victorious as well.

Both Pokemon now faced off in the center of the field, inches away from each other. Tauros had managed several more hits on Zweilous, but out of the two, it was definitely the worse for wear. Suddenly, Zweilous reared upwards and launched a Dragon Pulse point-blank towards Tauros. It had no chance to even dodge the attack, much less weather it on top of the damage it had already taken.

When the smoke cleared, Tauros lay beaten on the ground. The warrior from Dragnor had won.

Cheers began to rise from the crowd as they realized that the battle was over, tentatively at first, then building in volume. No joined in the applause, although she couldn't hope to compete with the combined hollering of Miyuri and Tsubaki. Even Chigusa looked impressed, and she had been insisting the entire night that the fights were pointless and lowbrow entertainment.

Junkei, however, was not taking his loss well. All of his charm from earlier gone, he stalked to the center of the field and jabbed a finger at the warrior from Dragnor, shouting something that No at first was unable to hear over the last calls from the crowd. Eika stepped forward, separating the two men and barking what looked like a warning at Junkei.

He remained unfazed, and this time No - as well as the rest of the crowd - was able to hear his challenge. "He had an unfair advantage, using a Pokemon none of us have ever fought before! I want a rematch, a physical fight this time!"

"Is he allowed to do that?" No whispered to Tsubaki, who was watching the entire confrontation with barely-contained glee.

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Tsubaki responded, eyes glued to the field. "I've never seen it happen before!"

Shaking her head, Eika looked prepared to reject the challenge. But then the warrior from Dragnor stepped forward, now with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "If that's what he wants, I accept," he said, and there was a discernible intake of breath from the crowd.

Eika looked anything but pleased about the turn of events, but now that both parties had consented, the crowd had begun working itself into a frenzy. Physical fights were rare enough already, and from what No now heard being whispered around her, these circumstances were unheard of.

No eyed the warrior from Dragnor with increased interest as he shrugged off his coat (and the muscles beneath it weren't a bad view either). As a bookmaker raced through the crowd to collect last-minute bets, No decided to drop in a gold coin on him. Turning back around, she saw Miyuri looking at her quizzically, and shrugged. "We came here for the experience, didn't we?"

Drumming her fingernails on the railing, No watched with more tension than before as both warriors squared off against each other, their Pokemon now on the sidelines. Beside her, No heard Tsubaki mutter to Miyuri, "I don't even care who wins, either of them are welcome to fight for me anytime!"

Like before, Junkei moved first when Eika gave the signal to begin. He went for the warrior from Dragnor's arms, first trying to grab his wrists, then settling for throwing a punch. The warrior from Dragnor blocked it easily enough, returning the punch with one of his own, and No raised an eyebrow as she caught sight of a tattoo on his arm - she couldn't be certain from the distance, but it looked like some sort of ouroboros.

Junkei leaped back, and both men's arms intercepted the other as the warrior from Dragnor attempted to knock Junkei's legs out. No was transfixed by the way the warrior from Dragnor moved - he clearly had military training, but there was something more just beneath the surface, some pulsing force that was barely being restrained. No wouldn't call it rage, but she could feel its deliberate intensity even from where she stood on the balcony.

The warrior from Dragnor's next blow mercilessly collided with Junkei's jaw, and the crowd as one let out a shout. Junkei gave a scream of anger, beginning to swing wildly with both fists at his opponent. One blow caught the warrior from Dragnor in the stomach, another on the shoulder, but he refused to give any indication that they had hurt him. If anything, they only seemed to increase the ferocity behind each of his counter strikes.

They broke apart, circling each other like two predators intent on hunting the same prey. Then, without warning, the warrior from Dragnor lunged forward, grabbing Junkei's head with one hand and brutally driving it into his raised knee.

The gush of blood that followed would have once rendered No faint. Now, she was more than past the childhood fears that Hideko's death had left her with, but the sound of what was unmistakably Junkei's nose breaking still elicited a grimace from No. The warrior from Dragnor repeated the action once more, his face a dark mask of single-minded focus even as the crowd began to roar like the Legendary Pokemon was descending from the sky.

The warrior from Dragnor threw Junkei to the ground, and although Junkei tried to stand back up, the combination of the crooked mess that had been his nose and an already-swelling black eye seemed to make him realize that he was in over his head. No could see the loathing in his eyes as he raised his hands, but the gesture for surrender was universal.

Absolutely rabid was the only way to describe the crowd as the warrior from Dragnor stood in the center of the field, Eika clutching his hand and raising it above his head. No felt someone tap her on the shoulder, and turned to see the bookmaker handing her a significantly larger sum of money than she had bet. "Well chosen, miss," he nodded.

No looked back at the field to see the warrior from Dragnor being lead off, and was struck with a sudden impulse. She doubted that any of the fights after this would manage a higher intensity, anyhow. Leaning in beside Miyuri, No said, "I'll go on ahead, you three enjoy yourselves." Without waiting for Miyuri's response, No pushed her way through the crowd and down the stairs.

The warrior from Dragnor would likely be checked over by a medic before being turned loose, but No could wait. Positioning herself in an alleyway a short distance from the barracks entrance, she remained there for several minutes in relative silence, broken only by the occasional faint cheer. Then, just as No began to wonder if she had missed him, she saw a familiar two-headed Pokemon appear in the moonlight, followed by a human silhouette.

Sliding out from the shadows, No approached him slowly, clapping her hands together twice. "Forgive me for intruding, but I must say, you left quite an impression," she began, curling her lips in a smile as the warrior from Dragnor halted to look her over in a not entirely unappreciative manner.

"Should I know you?" he asked, meeting No's eyes. It was all No could do to not be drawn into that gaze. She had never seen anything like it, like the fires of hell were dancing behind those black irises. It was intoxicating.

"That remains to be seen," No responded. Her eyes landing on the silhouetted Rayquaza's head stitched into the warrior's coat, she continued, "You don't fight like a rogue, and that's the crest of Dragnor's army on your sleeve. So I have to wonder, what brings you to this kingdom of ghosts?"

"That's the crest of Spectra's castle on your sash," the warrior from Dragnor countered. "You ask many questions, for a servant." Despite the phrasing, he didn't seem to mean it as an insult.

"Well, I may have pegged you incorrectly, but I suspect that neither of us has plans to remain where life has placed us," No said, drawing closer.

The warrior laughed, illuminated in the moonlight. "Is that so?" Brushing past No, he paused briefly enough to suggest, "Then perhaps our paths shall cross again."

As No heard him begin to continue down the road that lead to the city square, she called after the warrior, "You haven't given me your name."

"You haven't given me yours," he replied.

Turning back to face him, No flashed him a smirk as she raised her head. "Kicho."

The warrior assessed her once more, framed silver by the full moon. For a moment, the silence of the night hung between them, all the world poised on the thread that now connected them.

"Nobunaga."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 4**_

* * *

 _Looking back on it, No supposed that it had begun, as such life-altering experiences often do, on a seemingly insignificant night. It had been two years earlier, at the peak of June, and the midsummer festival had arrived in Spectra in accordance. For a week, the city seemed to take on an entirely new life each night as its streets were filled with performers and all manner of traveling merchants. By the fourth night, its siren call had become too strong for No and her fellow handmaidens to resist any longer._

 _"So, did your readings go as well as mine?" Tsubaki giggled as they walked away from a fortune teller's tent. "At first I wasn't buying into it, but once she started going on about how I was going to live a life of adventure and notoriety, I figured who was I to question the fates?"_

 _"Really?" Miyuri frowned. "I just felt like I was getting lectured. As soon as she read my palm, she wouldn't stop warning me about 'making sure my desires didn't lead me to doom'. It wasn't exactly the most cheerful atmosphere."_

 _"Well, that's probably a sign that she's legitimate," Tsubaki offered. "If she were a fake, she would just be telling people what she knew they wanted to hear."_

 _Miyuri still looked skeptical. "You're only saying that because you liked what you heard."_

 _Tsubaki shrugged. "Is that a crime?" Turning to Chigusa, she grinned. "What about you? Are you among the ranks of unbelievers?"_

 _Chigusa stiffened as Tsubaki addressed her. "I would rather not talk about my reading," she said quickly._

 _"I'll take it that means the nail got hit right on the head for you," Tsubaki responded. "That only leaves you, Kicho." By the look on her face, the pink-haired girl was clearly expecting No to take her side._

 _Tossing her head, No scoffed at the memory. "She told me I was going to be happily married with four daughters and a passion for ice skating. I'm sure you can imagine my response to that."_

 _Regarding No with a sparkle in her green eyes, Miyuri snickered, "I don't know, Kicho. I can almost imagine you ice skating."_

 _The laughs of the four girls at that rang down the street as they continued further into the city. None of them saw the two men watching them with interest through the crowd, and the nods they exchanged upon pointing to one of the handmaidens._

* * *

As No went about her duties throughout the following several days, her thoughts couldn't help but keep straying back to Nobunaga. She didn't admit it out loud, if only because her fellow handmaidens would have never let her hear the end of it, but the desire she felt to see him again was quickly becoming an overpowering force. She wanted to be scorched by that fire in his gaze again.

Only when she was with Misdreavus did No completely give her mind over to her wavelength with her partner. Over the next week, No was able to visit the shrine thrice more, she and Misdreavus always able to pick up immediately from wherever they had left off. No now felt confident enough in the strength of their link to experiment with Misdreavus' stronger attacks, and within the next several nights planned to begin summoning other Ghost Pokemon to the shrine that she and Misdreavus could test their skill in actual battles with.

As always, sunrise crept into the shrine without warning. It leeched the shrine of the power that No felt within it in the light of the moon, revealing the cracks in the stone walls and silencing the whispers of the spirits in No's ears. Even the full extent of No's powers were weaker during the day, and a small part of No did fear that they would somehow not fully return with each subsequent nightfall. The thought that she could somehow lose her connection with the spirit world, no matter how irrational, now chilled No more than even that of her true identity being discovered.

 _"Well done, Misdreavus,"_ No sent down their link as she prepared to leave. It was later than she normally stayed in the shrine, but she and Misdreavus had gotten caught up in that night's training, and the dawn had caught them both by surprise. No would have to be more careful than usual sneaking back into the castle if she wanted to avoid any prying guard's questions.

So wrapped up was she in her own thoughts that No almost missed the rustle of footsteps heading towards her as she walked back to the castle - almost. Narrowing her eyes, No ducked behind a nearby tree as she heard the other person drawing closer. The castle guards didn't patrol the forest. So who else could possibly be out here at this hour, and for what purpose?

No remained pressed against the trunk of the pine tree, barely even breathing, until she heard the other person walk past. She knew that it would perhaps be wiser to leave it be and make her way back to the handmaidens' quarters before her absence could be noted. But she couldn't risk this other person stumbling onto the shrine. Giving them a few seconds' head start to be safe, No re-emerged onto the forest path and began to follow the footsteps, testing the reach of her wavelength with Misdreavus just in case the worst was about to occur.

Thankfully, the stranger bypassed the path to the shrine, although they clearly seemed to know the location of whatever their own destination within the forest was. No was close enough to see the back of their form, but they were wearing a hooded cloak that made it impossible for No to discern any details of their appearance. But unless No's eyes were deceiving her, she could have sworn there was something familiar about the way that the stranger walked...

The pine trees up ahead thinned into a small clearing, and the stranger's pace quickened. No was willing to guess that whatever they sought in the forest, it was here. Making sure to stay out of the stranger's sight, No leaned in from her hiding place among the trees as the stranger lowered the hood of their cloak. The sight of the familiar face that was illuminated by the dawn was enough to make even No do a double take.

Chigusa warily glanced over her shoulder once, but seemed to come to the conclusion that she was alone. Was this where Chigusa vanished off to every morning? If so, she had been managing to successfully fool even No for months. Perhaps No had read her fellow handmaiden too quickly.

As Chigusa knelt down and held out her hand to something, No couldn't help herself from breathing in a small gasp as a Petilil emerged in the clearing and walked right up to Chigusa, nuzzling against the russet-haired girl in a manner that clearly suggested familiarity. Oh, No had most definitely underestimated Chigusa. _"It seems Tsubaki and I aren't the only ones with secrets."_ And this couldn't have placed Chigusa in a more ideal position for No.

Stepping out from the trees, No called out, "Chigusa?" Her fellow handmaiden froze at the sound of No's voice, Petilil giving a squeak of fright and ducking behind Chigusa.

"K-Kicho?" Chigusa stammered as she turned around. "I-I swear, it's not what it looks like!" Her eyes nervously darted between No and the Petilil behind her shoulder. For all her covering of her tracks, Chigusa hadn't seemed to have given much thought to what she would do in the event of actually being found out. A fatal error, one that No would normally not hold any sympathy for. But right now, she wanted Chigusa under her thumb, not sacked from the castle.

"Relax," No began. "I don't intend to sell you out." At that, Chigusa's frame visibly slumped, but she maintained a hint of skepticism in her expression.

"Why should I trust you?" she asked No. "Why were you even following me in the first place?"

No wasn't about to reveal Misdreavus' presence to Chigusa. The two of them were hardly friends, and No wouldn't have put it past the other girl to ensure her own safety by running to Fuyuka and reporting No for having a Pokemon. "I was out for an early morning walk when I saw you leave the castle and make for the forest. My curiosity got the better of me."

Pausing, No admitted to herself that she did want to know for how long Chigusa had been keeping up this lie. "When did you first realize?" she inquired. "That you had the warrior gift?"

Chigusa still looked somewhat apprehensive, but she hesitantly began, "I think... perhaps a year after we entered Lady Fuyuka's service?" Reflecting on it for a moment, she murmured more to herself, "Yes, in hindsight." Chigusa bent down to pick up Petilil as she continued.

"I know my mother didn't have it. The, eh, the gift." Chigusa stumbled over the last two words, as though today was the first time she had dared to speak them out loud. "Maybe my father did, but my mother never knew who he was. Either way, I had little cause to suspect until I came to the castle."

That would make sense. If Chigusa's affinity was for Grass-types, there was hardly an abundance of those in Spectra's city. No doubted that many residents of the quarter she knew Chigusa hailed from would have possessed Pokemon of their own, either.

"Of course, I was familiar with the stories about what it's like. How a person knows," Chigusa continued. "I was so terrified when I began feeling the pull to the forest. I suspected right away, but after all that Lady Fuyuka had done for me - it felt like betraying her." Looking down at Petilil once more, she sighed. "You must think me such a hypocrite. I know I did - do."

Her eyes took on the slight fog of being lost in memories. "But within the last few months... it just became too strong. I know I have enough of a reputation in the castle that none of the guards think it odd for me to be up so early in the morning. There are dozens of duties I can say that I'm performing. I usually do anyways. It helps me feel as though I'm balancing it all out." Blinking, Chigusa fiercely whispered, "I'm loyal," once again seeming to momentarily forget that No was present.

So the fidelity to Fuyuka wasn't part of Chigusa's act, it just wasn't as mindless as No had believed. While that would still require some working around, No was already beginning to formulate how she might be able to break it. She didn't need Chigusa's love, after all, only for her to realize that No would give her more of a life than Fuyuka ever intended to.

Chigusa was still nervously looking away as No settled on what she would do for now. Out of her fellow three handmaidens, Chigusa certainly wasn't the first who needed to know who No truly was. But Kicho could provide her with an ally.

Reaching out, No lightly raised Chigusa's face with her hand, meeting the other girl's wavering hazel eyes. "Your secret is safe with me," No vowed. "Let me know if anyone else grows suspicious of you. I'll be your alibi."

Allowing the words that had first been spoken to her to flow off her tongue in that same reassuring tone was so easy. In this case, No was offering them under quite different circumstances, but Chigusa wasn't aware of that fact. And for the first time since they had met, No saw a true shift in Chigusa's eyes of the way she seemed to view No.

It would have been a lie for No to say that she had _never_ found that tempting - to let herself believe that she was kind, selfless, a savior. The way the seamstress and all the rest who knew the truth thought of her. But whatever chance that No might have once held to exist, it had died on a snow-covered road in Nixtorm ten years earlier. And truth be told, No had never been tempted enough to grieve it.

No ensured to stay close to Chigusa for the rest of the day, until she was certain Chigusa wasn't going to do anything irrational that would jeopardize them both. But once she felt comfortable enough to make that confirmation, her thoughts began to roam elsewhere. By the time the sun began to set, No knew that it was a collision she could delay no longer.

It was time to cross her path with Nobunaga's once more.

* * *

Dinner marked the end of the day for the majority of the castle servants, Fuyuka's handmaidens included barring extremely specific occasions. As tonight was not one of those nights, No wasted little time donning a cloak and trading the gold sash of her uniform for a plainer, dark purple one. When she was off-duty, No preferred to go about the city without anything on her person that immediately betrayed her line of work. Not that it normally did her much good, but it was the closest she could come to escaping Kicho for small amounts of time.

As she left the castle, No began to notice something in her surroundings that had begun to occur more and more since that first night in the shrine: it would start as little more than flickers at the edge of No's vision, but if she allowed herself to reach out, a slow blending of the worlds would begin to take form around her. Like fresh ink bleeding onto paper, the spirits that Spectra was so well-known for would seemingly appear from thin air - although No guessed it was likely just her strengthened powers granting her the ability to see past supernatural glamours.

As far as No knew, she was the only one who could. One spirit floated right through another servant, and the woman didn't even blink, continuing her conversation with her friend as though she hadn't felt a thing. No enjoyed watching the spirits, though. Only one or two had paid her mind so far, despite the fact that No was technically the one barging into their world. The spirits who dwelled within the city were almost all peaceful, simply going about in death the same routines they had in life. They were No's companions as night began to fall, and No had quickly come to take pleasure in their company.

The city square hosted the majority of inns that catered to warriors, and as it was the direction Nobunaga had been walking in after the fights, No figured it was as good a place to start as any. She had no luck at the first or second establishments she visited, but upon peering into the third, it was difficult to not notice that Zweilous. And sure enough, there was unmistakably Nobunaga sitting close to the back of the room.

Lowering the hood of her cloak as she entered the inn, No searched for an ideal position before settling on a seat at the bar. Spectra was a small enough city that most of its inns doubled as taverns, but all No ordered when a server approached her was tea. As she did so, two male warriors sitting near her began to whisper to each other, making a poor show of trying not to point at No.

Glancing over at them, No offered them a cold smile, and their eyes widened in alarm. So the rumors about her role in the events of two years earlier clearly still persisted. After all, she doubted the city had seen such a large stir as that day's since Fuyuka's coup.

The server brought out No's tea, and No's eyes refocused on Nobunaga through the steam that rose from her cup. Almost immediately, it was as though he sensed No's gaze upon him. Nobunaga looked up towards the bar, and for a brief moment, No's breath caught as the world between them froze. What passions could possibly burn that bright behind those black eyes? How was No the only one who was able to see them?

Neither of them moved, staring each other down with equal challenges. But then No began to hear more whispering coming from the same men as before, and she was not in the mood tonight to be gawked at like some criminal on trial. She allowed their hushed voices to be drowned out by the clamor of the inn as she stood and made for Nobunaga's table.

"Fancy coming across you here," she remarked as she sat down.

A look of amusement crossed Nobunaga's face as he responded, "I don't place much stock in coincidences." Looking past No at the two warriors who had recognized her, he inquired, "Are they acquaintances of yours?"

"Not as much as I'm certain they would like to be," No said. "Luckily for them, it's a sentiment I have no intention of returning."

"Luckily?" Nobunaga echoed. "What about you could be so horrid?"

No gave a soft chuckle at that. "Nothing about me. But I wonder if the role I would have them play is the one they imagine."

Leaning in closer to No from across the table, Nobunaga's voice lowered as he continued, "And what would that role be?"

Taking a sip of her tea before she responded, No remarked, "You've been in Spectra for long enough now. I'm sure you've heard at least part of the story. Especially seeing as you've spent your fair share of time on the site where it occurred."

"I've heard plenty of ghost stories since I came to this kingdom," Nobunaga responded, his eyes still trained on No. "Perhaps there was one that caught my interest."

"And I'm still interested in hearing yours," No said. "I wasn't aware that Dragnor allowed its warriors such extended leaves. And I certainly wouldn't think that one would want to spend theirs doing the exact same thing they would do in an army, even if the pay is somewhat higher."

The change in Nobunaga's demeanor at that did catch No by surprise. "I am no longer part of Dragnor's army," he responded in a lower voice, clenching his fist as a flicker of that same darkness No had seen when he had been fighting sparked in his eyes. "Nor would I wish to be restored to my former place in it."

Very interesting. "If that's the case, why continue to give off the impression that you are a soldier?" No asked. "What was so terrible about Dragnor that could drive a warrior such as yourself to leave?"

"I had no choice," Nobunaga responded as Zweilous wandered back to the table, clearly sensing the shift in its partner's wavelength. "I uncovered a discovery that was supposed to remain hidden. Something that has the potential to change the course of the war."

The implication behind those words struck a chord in No. If she hasn't been intrigued before, her attention had certainly been captured now. "I was under the impression that Dragnor's oligarchy was of the same pacifist mindset as Nixtorm in regards to the war."

Nobunaga scoffed, glancing around at the surrounding people in the inn. "As was I. But I would rather not discuss the matter at length in such a... public setting."

"Understandable," No acknowledged. "Perhaps the privacy of wherever it is you're staying within this establishment would be better for this sort of topic."

If the forwardness of the proposal managed to throw Nobunaga at all, he hid it well. A slight raise of his eyebrows as the half-smile No had maintained throughout the discussion morphed into a smirk, but all he gave was a single laugh. "If you're really so intrigued, I suppose someone else ought to know."

"More than you could imagine," No insisted. "Lead the way."

Leaving a coin for the tea on the bar as they passed, No followed Nobunaga up the flight of stairs to the inn's upper levels. The fact that this particular building was designed more as a boarding house did not escape No's notice. Clearly Nobunaga intended to be in Spectra for a length of time.

They climbed to the top floor and reached the end of the hallway before entering a small, comfortable-enough room with base furnishings - a bed, a small table, and a window overlooking the alleyway below. Perhaps not a fantastic view, but it was large enough to allow whatever night breezes decided to blow to circulate through the room.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," No resumed upon closing the door behind them. The increased intimacy of the situation didn't seem to be lost on either of them, especially with Zweilous remaining outside the room as per the requirements of most inns. No chose to seat herself on the bed, while Nobunaga remained standing.

"I traveled to Spectra with the intention of delivering this information to your warlord," he said. "I thought that I had finally gained an audience with her this morning, only to be informed by another handmaiden that she entertains very few, and hardly strange warriors from other kingdoms at that."

No didn't doubt that was a direct quote from Chigusa. Strange, Chigusa hadn't given any indication of recognizing Nobunaga at the fights. No filed that bit of information away as Nobunaga continued.

"The thought that I might be able to at least warn the commanders of this kingdom's army was what drove me to the barracks. But in all the commotion following my victory, that opportunity passed me by. All my attempts since then to contact anyone of high enough status have either been ignored or deflected." Nobunaga was choosing his words carefully, and No realized he was gauging whether No was insulted by his insinuations of incompetence.

"By all means, be blunt," she reassured him. "If we're going to be honest with each other, working for Fuyuka is enough to make one contemplate murder. She's made sure that anyone with power in the army is loyal to her, one way or another. Unfortunately, most of them know how to run an efficient military about as much as I do how to pilot a blimp." A sentiment Eika had not been shy about expressing when she had been training No.

"Very well, then," Nobunaga nodded. "It has been discouraging, to say the least. But perhaps you are someone who can understand the gravity of the situation."

"Which is?" No prompted.

Nobunaga's expression darkened once more as he recalled his story. "It is true that the warlords of Dragnor have been putting on a show of non-aggression. But it's all a front, a disguise to buy them time until their true goal is achieved - unlocking a way to drive all of Ransei to its knees, something that will make the bloodshed of the past years seem like child's play."

Given all the frantic whisperings of news from outside kingdoms that No had overheard being delivered to Mitsuhide and his father during her time in Nixtorm, she was well aware of how much destruction had already been wrought upon Ransei by the steadily heightening violence of the war. "Worse even than the atrocities that Yaksha has committed upon Viperia, or the assassination of Lord Uesugi?"

"Far more so," Nobunaga asserted. "Right now, under construction within the Infinite Tower upon the grounds of Dragnor's castle, there is a machine unlike anything else manufactured - even in Valora. A machine that, once completed, will be able to create artificial wavelengths."

"As in, warrior wavelengths?" No breathed. "But on a massive scale?"

"That would be the simplest explanation. It has the potential to bring dozens of normal Pokemon under its control with only one usage. But the oligarchy wouldn't divine such a device to be used on just any Pokémon. It is their ultimate goal to bring the Pokemon of legend under their control, suppressing any wills of their own with only the desire to create whatever destruction the oligarchy would have them wreak. And once they have Ransei at their mercy-"

"The legends," No gasped. "The Legendary Pokémon itself would appear. And they would then use this machine to-"

Nobunaga nodded. "Their ultimate goal is the power of a god at their command. Like so many other warlords, they care not what their legacy upon Ransei will be, so long as they leave one. The greed that the legend fuels has consumed them all."

"And you found out more than you were supposed to," No confirmed.

"I admit to being in disbelief at first. That they managed to keep all of this a secret from the rest of Ransei for so long seemed inconceivable. But my attempts to warn my fellow soldiers reached the wrong set of ears. I had to flee Dragnor, or face capture as well. And likely execution." No didn't blame Nobunaga for being furious over that. But the way he had emphasized 'as well'... there was something more he had not yet told her.

"Who did they take?" No asked. "In order to hold against you?"

Nobunaga let out a furious exhalation. "My sister. Under the guise that she was being adopted as a ward of the castle, no less. She's young, barely even thirteen. I was all that she had. And now, it's only a matter of time before she begins to grow up. All it will take is one of those warlords looking at her for a moment too long one day, and then..." He shook his head scornfully. "I will not see them crush her like a flower under their heels."

"So what is it that you intend to do?" No queried. Although if Nobunaga had arrived in Spectra with the intention of seeking Fuyuka's army, No already had her suspicions.

"It won't matter if one of them is killed, the others will still move forward with the machine," Nobunaga observed. "The only way to stop them is to bring all five of them down at once. And at the rate the machine is progressing, there isn't much time. When I fled Dragnor, the estimate was less than two years to it being fully operational, at most. And Nixtorm and Spectra would undoubtedly be the first targets of whatever they could call forth."

This, of course, was unwelcome news to No, although not for the reason she supposed Nobunaga would have guessed. Reclaiming her title as warlord would mean nothing if Spectra had been razed to the ground by an army of mind-controlled demi-god Pokémon.

 _"But if I could offer Spectra's army to the cause of stopping such a thing from occurring..."_ No was getting ahead of herself, though. As utterly fascinated as she was by Nobunaga, he was still too much of a stranger. No had to be careful about who she revealed the truth to, even if those people had shared their own secrets with her. But this was something that would affect her own future if she did nothing.

"Well, we handmaidens do hold some sway in the castle," No proposed as she stood from the bed, although she didn't immediately turn for the door. "I might not be able to directly address Fuyuka about it, but I have connections throughout the city. You may have a believing audience in places you hadn't thought to look. Spectra is their home as well; if they're convinced that it's threatened, they will fight to defend it."

"You don't believe me a fool?" Nobunaga inquired with a hint of amusement. "It is an awfully grandiose plan."

No stopped before him, far closer than necessary. With a sly grin, she met Nobunaga's eyes as she disclosed softly enough to be a whisper, "I've always found myself attracted to ambition. The more grandiose, all the more satisfying."

She had to bite back a sigh at the shudder that ran through her body as a noticeably more... passionate change overtook Nobunaga's expression. Somehow, No felt as though the understanding they had reached of each other was already deeper than anything she had felt before. What would the sensation of those black flames feel like against her skin, scorching her soul? Strong enough, perhaps, to even give No another glimpse of that beautiful hell she had first experienced two years earlier?

More than a small part of her wanted that in this instant, all thought of anything else be damned. Nobunaga didn't have to speak for No to tell it was a shared sentiment. But to give in to that desire would change the game that they had been playing until now entirely. No needed him wanting her for just a touch longer. But certain things, there was no harm in.

Closing what little gap remained between them, No brushed her lips against Nobunaga's, meeting no resistance. She maintained the kiss for several moments, long enough for Nobunaga to attempt wrapping an arm around her waist. No pulled free before she could succumb to that trap, laughing softly as she crossed to the door. "Until whatever our next meeting brings," she called over her shoulder as she brushed past Zweilous.

No left the inn without looking back, her mind racing with a new plan taking root as she walked the familiar path to the castle. She had never had cause to consider making room for a partner before. But Nobunaga was different, that much she could sense. If any living soul in Ransei could appreciate her own ambitions, it would be him.

And as for the souls that accompanied her in peaceful silence all the way back to the castle, well, No was only just getting started with them.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 5_**

 _No was excited to finally see her mother again, but the feeling quickly gave way to confusion. Nobody had completely explained to her why her mother had even gone away in the first place, or why Aunt Fuyuka had suddenly grown so strict, or even what had been happening as two of Hideko's guards had appeared in No's room and sneaked her out of the castle tonight._

 _As she was lowered down from her balcony, No had thought of the stories her mother would tell her about the ghosts in the forest who liked spiriting children away. But she had heard sounds of fighting in the castle too, awfully close to her room. And No knew that she was safe with her mother's guards; after all, there was not yet any reason for her not to trust them._

 _They ran through the dark pine forest together long enough for the moon to rise higher in the sky. Finally, sometime near midnight, they reached a small encampment that was concealed by the thick growth of the forest. And there had been Hideko, waiting for them!_

 _Although she knew she was getting too old for it, No didn't complain as her mother pulled her into a tight embrace, stroking the back of No's head and murmuring thanks to the Legendary Pokemon. No had wanted to ask her all sorts of questions - why was Hideko living in the forest now? What had she done that had caused Aunt Fuyuka to be so angry with her? And what were the meanings of all the new words that No now heard being whispered around her with hushed urgency,_ coup _and_ assassins _and_ asylum _?_

 _One of her mother's guards ushered No into a small patchwork structure that had been erected separate from the ring of bedrolls around the fire, and No recognized the fabric serving as the door to be one of Hideko's old kimonos. "You must be tired, my lady. Why don't you get some sleep?" the guard suggested as he ducked back outside to rejoin his companions._

 _Setting down the cloth Litwick doll that was now all she had left from the castle, No went about exploring the shelter. There wasn't much to look at, but when she tried to sit still or lie down, the events of the night would replay through her mind all over again and leave her even more restless than before. And there was one item of interest resting at the foot of her mother's bedroll - a dark wooden box that even now remained locked. No had seen it before in her mother's rooms, but Hideko had always told her that No was too young to learn what was inside it._

 _When the sound of footsteps began to return towards the shelter, No hastily laid down and tried to make it seem as though she had been sleeping. After several moments, she heard someone kneel beside her, and smelled a faint trace of the perfume that always followed her mother. A warm hand brushed No's hair back from her brow, and Hideko whispered, "Are you awake, No?"_

 _Opening her eyes, No clutched the Litwick doll tighter to her chest, breathing in the faint scent of home. "Yes, mother."_

 _"Good." Hideko sighed, her deep purple eyes downcast for a moment before returning to her daughter._

 _"I'm very proud of you, No," she began. "You obeyed the guards tonight and were extremely brave. I'm going to need you to be brave for a little while longer."_

 _"Why?" No asked, sitting up on the bedroll. "Is it because of Aunt Fuyuka?"_

 _Hideko hesitated at the sound of her younger sister's name, then responded, "I'll explain it to you in the morning. Do you remember when you met Lord Akechi and his son? We're going to be visiting them in Nixtorm for a while, and we're leaving here at sunrise."_

 _As she said this, Hideko reached for the wooden box and pulled it in front of her, retrieving a key from within her kimono and inserting it into the lock. When No craned her head to try and make out its contents, Hideko gently but firmly pushed her back._

 _"There is one more thing I need you to do for me tonight, No," Hideko continued, and No heard what sounded like the clink of glass from within the box as her mother fiddled with its contents. No felt her heart picking up speed again as Hideko said, "This was supposed to wait until you were older, but in case anything happens to me, our allies must be able to know who you are."_

 _Laying No back down on the bedroll, on her stomach like a fish, Hideko warned, "I'm sorry, No, but this will hurt. I promise you nothing bad is going to happen, but I need you to not cry out too loudly. Can you do that?"_

 _Gulping, No slowly nodded. She fixed her eyes on the embroidery decorating the pillow in front of her, still not comprehending what was about to happen as the flesh of her shoulder was bared by Hideko's careful hand. Then she felt the first drag of the needle._

* * *

No frowned as she looked over her shoulder in the mirror, prodding the violet flowers of her tattoo. She wasn't imagining it; the color had grown starkly vivid within the last handful of weeks. If it became any more pigmented, the makeup that had concealed it for four years might not be enough anymore.

But Hideko had done her work admirably well. The wisteria blossoms trailed across No's left shoulder and down her back, first inked in by her mother's hand and then sealed with spirit magic that distinguished the pattern and coloring from that of a regular human's handiwork. It was the traditional tattoo of all matriarchs, and No recalled a similar latticework of flowers tracing across Hideko's skin. Fuyuka had given herself one at some point between her coup and No's return, but no amount of mixing dyes could give the colors the proper intensity. An ideal metric for distinguishing a sham warlord.

Traditionally, a matriarch of Spectra was not expected to procure more than one heir. Giving natural birth to a daughter was the most common manner, as the magic carried by each matriarch ensured that her child would be a daughter. It was also acceptable, if a matriarch wasn't interested in the labors of child-rearing or simply didn't favor the company of men, to seek out a woman with an extraordinarily strong connection to the spirit world and appoint her as successor instead. Regardless, No's grandmother had broken quite a few of the traditions, starting even before Fuyuka's birth had set them all on this path.

Grimacing down at the tattoo again, No decided there wasn't much more she could do for now. Both her handmaiden uniform and her disguise tonight covered the inked skin, the makeup had always been more of a fail-safe. She would just have to make sure none of her roommates walked in on her at an inopportune moment until she could find a better solution.

Even the arrival of October and its normally wind-filled nights had done little to dissuade the heat wave that seemed to have parked itself over Spectra. No wondered if all of northern Ransei was feeling its effects, and if so, whether Nixtorm was in danger of autumn flooding. She had memories of only one such season during her time in the Ice kingdom, but not even the castle was safe from them. Well, that was Mitsuhide's problem, not hers.

It was safer for No to think as little on Nixtorm as possible, she knew, but there were times where her mind couldn't help but stray back to those in-between years of her childhood. Mitsuhide had always taken it upon himself to look out for her, but No couldn't view him as a father figure when there were only six years separating them in age. Yet the role he had played in her life didn't fit what No imagined having an older brother might have been like, either. And then of course, there had been the slight issue at the very end that had complicated all of that even more.

But that memory was nothing worth pursuing; No needed something else to focus on. As she entered the city alongside her fellow handmaidens, she reached out tentatively with her mind and was pleased to still feel her connection with Misdreavus despite the distance between them. It served to cement No's belief that the next week was going to be very interesting in relation to her ever-growing powers.

Like every year, the purple lanterns of the Festival of Ghosts had been hung above the streets of Spectra, casting the city in their eternal twilit glow. The mood of the thickening crowd was always a strange blend; the tradition of disguising oneself to avoid unwanted hauntings lead to all sorts of bizarre and occasionally grotesque costumes being worn on the streets, and audiences formed out of nowhere as performances of sung, often bloody re-enactments of well-known ghost stories sprung up wherever there was opportunity.

Beneath the revelry though, there was the more solemn ceremony surrounding the festival's original purpose. One was hard-pressed to find an alleyway within Spectra that didn't contain a shrine to the dead, and as the nights of the festival went on, these memorials would grow increasingly covered with offerings from the living. Paper prayers and folded creatures limply fluttered from the shrines' stone fronts, and after several hours, the air throughout the entire city would faintly smell of memorial incense.

This was born of the festival's true origin – it marked the few days out of the year when the magic that typically kept the human and spirit worlds strictly divided went haywire, these boundaries blurring most of all within Spectra. Strange things happened all throughout the Ghost kingdom when the realms collided. Instances of people being spirited away for a night or two were common, as was a much wider variety of hauntings within the city than usual. The confusion wasn't all bad, though; in fact, it provided the perfect opportunity to move forward that No had been awaiting.

Since her meeting with Nobunaga a week earlier, No had spent practically all the time that she was free of her handmaiden duties training with Misdreavus. When she had been required to go into the city, she had combed through its alleyways and corners, feeling for the patches between the worlds that were already weakening. No had also taken care to re-establish communication with as many people within Spectra who knew the truth about her as she could, in perhaps the riskiest move she had made yet - organizing the beginnings of an official army, _her_ army.

Using the festival as their perfect cover, the plan was for as many of them as possible to meet at the kimono shop later tonight. Eika was the only person No was unsure would come, but No had other ways of contacting her. Once they were gathered, No would pass Nobunaga's story on, and ask them to do the same to whoever within Spectra they trusted. The festival lasted for a full week, who knew how much damage to Fuyuka's already-suffering support No could do within that time?

Despite the lack of sleep that had been the tradeoff for all of this effort, any fatigue No might have felt was wiped away with the rising of the moon. She supposed even the folklore that she had drawn upon for her disguise this year reflected her ambitions - the Mother of Ghosts, the personification of Spectra itself. The violet fabric of No's cloak loosely floated around her body with every step she took, its plunging neckline bordered with silk wisterias. No couldn't help but wonder if she would be encountering a dragon in the crowd tonight.

Even if most of Spectra's citizens couldn't physically see the human ghosts that walked among them, the significantly higher-than-usual population of Ghost Pokemon spawning throughout the city was impossible to ignore. The handmaidens had barely stepped onto the path leading from the castle when a Gastly casually phased out of the dusk shadows, brushing close enough to No for her to feel the colder air that followed in its wake through the fabric of her disguise.

This was a question that had always fascinated No - when a person died, was it a conscious choice on their part to remain in human form, or were there certain circumstances that could forcibly transform their spirit into a Pokemon? The few former humans that she had come into contact with had all been dead for too long to give her much in the way of answers.

The Ghost Pokemon were welcome among the festivities so long as they didn't cause trouble, and No enjoyed the rare opportunity to fraternize with them. She could smile as she shooed away the Sableye that tried to slip her bracelet off her wrist, stroke the tendrils of a Drifloon that floated past them, all without raising the slightest hint of suspicion. After all, Fuyuka couldn't ban Pokemon from the entire city, especially not from the festival that was held in their honor. No also couldn't help but notice that Spectra's citizens seemed much less wary of Ghost Pokemon as a whole than they were of human spirits. Superstitions were strange like that.

They stopped to watch several performers, as each of the four girls had her favorite traditional stories. Chigusa was disguised this year as the ill-fated bride from The Unwed Hunter, and Miyuri as Sweet Sen, the mad warrior who had killed for her liege time and time again before finally turning her sword on him when he failed to reciprocate her love. The over-the-top gushes of fake blood that poured from the "murdered" actor's body in the finale earned several loud laughs, and an extended round of applause from the audience.

The next performance, a pantomime with musical accompaniment, was at first not one that No recognized. There were always a handful of new stories each year, although it immediately struck No as odd that none of the actors seemed to be in costume. The performances were, above all, always stylised - they were enjoyed for the spectacle just as much as their plots. In fact, there was something in not just the dress of this, but the entire slow unfolding of the pantomime that left No with a feeling of unease.

Three actors shared the stage, one woman and two men. It was the actress who drew No's attention first. She moved like a Seviper, some part of her body always curled around one of her companions - fingers clamping down on one man's shoulder or a hand brushed across the other's chest. The music accompanying the pseudo-dance sequence was low, dangerous, pulsing with an unmistakable note of seduction. Then one of the men turned, the back of his shirt visible to the audience for the first time, and a small murmur ran among the crowd as the realization of exactly which story this was registered. Yes, it was new.

No felt an iron grip latch onto her wrist, and looked to her side to see Tsubaki. The girl's rose-colored eyes were wide in panic as they glanced towards the stage. No shook her head, hoping Tsubaki had the sense to realize that attempting to push out of the audience now would draw attention that they didn't want. Not that seeing that scarlet crest again, clumsily sewn but still all too recognizable on the back of the actor's shirt, hadn't also set an alarm off in No's brain.

The tension rippling off of Tsubaki in the aftermath of the play was dangerously high, and far too conspicuous - Miyuri and Chigusa were casting worried glances in her direction, perhaps too scared to look for a similar reaction in No. They had defended No two years earlier, but who was to say that people couldn't change their minds?

A distraction was needed, and quickly, before one of them said or did something that would send the night irreparably in a direction No wasn't eager to explore. Watching the play as it had unfolded on that stage had left her with her own irritations. Those memories, the true events of that night, belonged to her alone. Nobody else possessed the right to know.

Ignoring the shrieks of fright given off by nearby festival-goers as several Shuppets and Banettes abruptly dropped down from the rooftops above them, No did her best to push the four of them along with the current of the crowd. Gradually, Tsubaki began to diffuse (and therefore by extension, Miyuri and Chigusa), although No only began to breathe easier once they found themselves in midst of the city square.

This was what the spirit world must be like, No always thought at the sight of the square's yearly transformation. The purple lanterns were so numerous around them that she was reminded of will-o-wisps, bobbing aimlessly in the night for however long the wind carried them until they finally faded. Every storefront and inn was decorated for the occasion, with banners and even more prayers for the dead hanging above doors and dangling from windows. It was nearing midnight, and enough time had passed since sundown for a soft white haze of incense smoke to have settled above the crowd, adding to the night's ethereal feel.

At the center of the square, the grandest stage of all had been erected. Composed of two tiers, the lower, larger half served as a space for any dancers who wished to join in whatever song the musicians were currently playing. Raised several feet above this was a smaller dais that held only one object - a throne.

As always, Fuyuka held court over them all. She was nearly mistakable for a painted statue atop the throne, although No caught the sweep of her aunt's icy blue eyes over the crowd, pausing for the briefest moment to register the return of her handmaidens.

Even here, surrounded by so many people, No couldn't quite stop the momentary surge of lava through her veins that the sight of Fuyuka on that throne caused. A dark thrumming rang across her fingertips, and No had to clench the fabric of her sleeves for several seconds before the stray magic rode itself out. The throbbing pulse in her head was always brought on by the sight of that face, just similar enough to Hideko's to mark them as sisters, yet so different that No would never make the mistake of seeing her mother's eyes in those of her murderer's.

The sound of Miyuri's voice repeating her name registered over the high buzzing in No's ears, ripping through the curtain of red that had begun to descend over her vision. No shook her head, hearing herself say something about a momentary lightheadedness in response to the dark-haired girl asking if she was alright. It had been a long time since she had come that close to losing control. Perhaps the festival was setting her more on edge than she had anticipated.

"Then you should rest for a moment," Chigusa stepped in just as Tsubaki excitedly exclaimed, "Kicho, look who's over there!"

The pink-haired girl's grin was downright devilish as she pointed to a cluster of festival-goers near the edge of the stage, her seemingly all-consuming panic from just minutes before already forgotten. At first, No wasn't certain who she was supposed to be looking at, until Tsubaki continued with, "I put two and two together, watching you watch him at the fights. Go for it!" She accompanied this with an encouraging shove against No's back.

Nobunaga turned just as No's eyes found him, clad in normal attire save for a horned black half-mask. His gaze did not pin her down immediately as it had that night in the tavern. On the contrary, No watched his body stiffen as his eyes cautiously swept over the square. The lack of outward distress spoke to his training as a soldier, but No still recognized it as a quick attempt at surveillance. Was he wary that someone from Dragnor had managed to track him here to Spectra?

When his eyes did finally fall on No, his reaction was unsuspected - it almost looked to be surprise, as though he had suddenly gained a more profound understanding of No in this instant than what she had let him learn of her that night at the inn. No wasn't certain if proceeding was the wisest course of action, but Tsubaki was still whispering a variety of vocal encouragements in her ear, and No didn't want her thinking something was amiss again.

Skirting around a cluster of Litwick that had congregated around the base of one of the nearby shrines, No reached Nobunaga's side at the foot of the stage just as the musicians began the introduction of a new song. Several more men and women took to the stage to join the dancing, both No and Nobunaga watching them for several moments before Nobunaga spoke.

"You possess a strong amount of magic. Even from across the square, I could feel it. Your pull."

No tried to reassure herself that his discovery of this was hardly cause for alarm, although if the aura her powers were giving off was supposedly that conspicuous, she had to wonder why Nobunaga was acting as though he had only just come to this revelation. "How could you tell?"

Nobunaga's eyes followed a couple in matching disguises upon the stage, holding each other close as they danced to the song's slow introduction. "My mother was a fortune teller, a legitimate one. The destinies her cards foretold always came true, right up to the battle that killed her and my father. I know magic when I feel it, and I respect its wielders. I doubt many else here know what to look for, though." Offering No a sideways glance, he added on, "I'm assuming there's a reason you keep it hidden."

"You assume correctly," No confirmed. After another moment of listening to the bells providing accompaniment for the dancers, No gave a soft smile. "Speaking of prophecies, are you familiar with this particular song?"

There was that same look from the night at the inn now, an amused curiosity entering Nobunaga's voice as he responded, "I don't believe I am."

"Well, that's not a surprise," No pretended to scoff. "It's a traditional story we tell during the festival in Spectra, but I wouldn't suppose as much beyond our borders. The ballad tells of Lady Konoe, one of our former matriarchs."

"Enlighten me, then," Nobunaga said. "I've already heard quite a few interesting stories about the ghosts of this city tonight." Was it No's imagination, or was there an unspoken challenge in his phrasing, perhaps for her to argue against whatever dark legacy of hers had been revived in whispers tonight?

Good, No thought. Let him know exactly what kind of woman he had entered into this game with.

"Some say that Lady Konoe was born with the gift of prophecy," No began. "Others that she was merely paranoid." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Whatever the case, Lady Konoe came to believe that she was going to die by poison, and only by poison." The sound of a solitary shamisen began to accompany the low tones of the musicians' bells as No continued.

"As a result of this premonition, however she came about it, Lady Konoe sought to make herself immune to most every poison known within Ransei." No paused for a moment, envisioning the former matriarch's spirit as she recalled her. "They say she distilled hemlock into her perfume, that she drank tea containing the petals of belladonna flowers, even that she wore garlands of aconite flowers in her hair. She appointed an apothecary and medium from Viperia to be her junior warlord as well, ensuring that the woman was her near constant companion."

"Did she miscalculate a dosage?" Nobunaga guessed. "Or did the apothecary perhaps betray her?"

No smirked as the bells began to rise in an ascending scale. "Oh, far worse than any of that. Lady Konoe fell in love. I couldn't tell you what kind of man he was, beyond that he knew of the reputation Lady Konoe had earned for herself by that point, and loved her back regardless. They actually married, an unconventional custom for matriarchs. They say the ceremony was marked by Lady Konoe pouring arsenic into her wine." Sighing, she added on, "Not that any love of theirs wound up mattering. Her groom didn't survive the wedding night."

The dancers on the stage fell into a gentle swaying as the music began to slow into a false lull, the shamisen briefly dropping out. No knew from having watched them in years past that the most difficult part was yet to come.

"You see, Lady Konoe had indeed grown immune to all those poisons after her years of painful effort. But it came at a cost - she herself had become poison. No human lover could touch her skin without being paralyzed. They could not kiss her lips without the toxins transferring into their own body. To love her was to give oneself over to death."

Nobunaga remained silent, No fully aware that she commanded his full attention. "When the morning came and Lady Konoe awoke to a corpse in her wedding bed, she realized what she had become. She could never feel a lover's touch. Having children was almost certainly out of the question. Even her junior warlord looked on her in fear upon seeing what had occurred. Lady Konoe viewed herself as more poison than human, and in her despair, she plunged a dagger directly into her heart. So, in a sense, all her fears proved correct."

At the story's conclusion, the only sound that hung in the air between them for several moments was that of the bells. Finally, Nobunaga looked at No with amusement as he said, "What lesson does one take away from that story? To not intentionally consume poison?"

Softly laughing, No responded, "Well, if you wanted to be as literal as possible with it." As if on cue, she heard the trembling pickup from the shamisen that she had been anticipating. "As for me, I take away a different warning."

"And what would that be?" Nobunaga inquired.

Stepping towards the stage, No turned back to face the Dragon warrior long enough to answer, "That no mistake is more fatal than falling in love."

The final section of Lady Konoe's song was infamous - the tempo rapidly sped up, the frantic movements of the female dancers meant to resemble her throes of lament, only ended by her dagger. No wasn't entirely sure what about Lady Konoe's story in particular had held her captive for every year she had watched the dancers, but now she recalled the exhilarating rush of power that the infamous matriarch's spirit had given her that first night in the shrine.

No had never joined the dance in years past. But she danced now.

The steps built with the music. A slow, bow-like dip to begin with, almost as though No was paying tribute to Lady Konoe's spirit before beginning properly. She wove her body back upwards in a calculated, serpentlike movement, her eyes looking over the heads of the crowd to find small congregations of Ghost Pokemon gathering in all the places where the lights of the lanterns could not touch them. The beginning of the witching hour was nearly at hand, of course they would be out in full force.

One of the musicians began to set a hard, deliberate rhythm on their drum, to which the dancers and No responded with a series of interweaving steps across the stage. The shamisen and bells joined back in abruptly, played with more urgency than before. The tempo slowly picked up more and more with each measure, No catching swirls of fabric out of the corner of her eye as the dancers spun to a trill of the flute.

A storm of ascending and descending flourishes were played on the shamisen as the music reached Lady Konoe's discovery of her lover's corpse. This was immediately followed by a rest held over the entire stage for an extended moment, during which No felt each rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in preparation for the climax. Once more, she called to mind her memories of the matriarchs and their spirits.

Each individual instrument fell together in melodious chaos as the tempo ceased any pretense of buildup, returning at double the speed of the dance's beginning. No's feet flew across the stage, the silks of her disguise's skirt fanning out around her as she threw her head back in a mirror of Lady Konoe's anguished final moments. Her vision blurred into swirls of purple light and black shadow as a deep humming began to resonate in her chest, vibrating through her body as she moved in time with the music.

Over the roar of her own blood rushing in her ears, No became aware of a female vocalist's voice ringing out above the fever pitch that the instruments had reached. There was no set melody that the vocalist followed, her voice alternating between scales of staccato arpeggios and soaring through the night air on impossibly high notes. When the instruments suddenly fell out completely, only the woman's voice remained on a note that merely the sound of left No's throat feeling raw.

Why had the music stopped?

Opening her eyes, No attempted to look to the other dancers on the stage, trying to discern why the song had been cut short. The first one whose eyes she met shrank away from her, and No heard gasps from the audience. Taking a second look at her surroundings, she understood why with a horrified leap of her heart.

Surrounding her body in a pearly white fog were the shrouds of half-materialized spirits, generations of dark-haired matriarchs with piercing stares that had answered to the magic No had unwittingly let loose as the frenzy of the dance had overtaken her. The Ghost Pokemon of the city had answered her call as well - in fact, No realized only now that they had been detecting her heightened magic nearly all evening.

She knew she needed to will the faint purple magic swirling from her fingertips to recede back into her hands. Yet above that, there was another thought. She alone had summoned _all_ of this. Without even trying, No had called upon a score of spirits far beyond anything she had dreamed of attempting in her training with Misdreavus.

But even as this thought exhilarated her, No became aware of a second, much larger problem. When the dance froze, her back had been turned to the platform that Fuyuka's throne rested upon. No felt the first true autumn wind of the season blow across the bare, tattooed skin that had been exposed by the fabric of her disguise falling around her shoulders in the aftermath of the dance. Even without the unintentional display of magic no normal medium could ever be capable of, No knew there was no concealing this truth from Fuyuka's eyes.

She turned slowly, raising her head up to meet her aunt's narrowed glare that gave her all the confirmation she needed.

No had been found out.


	7. Chapter 7

**This is a Nobunaga/No centric fic. A smut warning was inevitable.**

 _ **Chapter 6**_

 **Four years earlier**

 _If she peered outside the window in the handmaidens' quarters, No could look down on the portion of the graveyard that wrapped around the castle. From her old room, which she had still not dared to step inside since returning, she hadn't been able to view it at all. How strange it felt, even after two months, to be back in the home that she remembered, only to continue realizing there was so much of it that Hideko's daughter had never truly seen._

 _The black fabric of her cloak felt heavy on her shoulders, and No restlessly drummed her fingers along the window ledge as she waited for the three girls who were now her constant companions to finish donning their disguises. It was the first time since they had all been paired together that they weren't matching, No realized._

 _Chigusa was the only one of them who had disguised herself as a spirit rather than a Pokemon, in a simple white kimono. The sash was the giveaway as to which folktale she had called upon - for the past several nights, No had watched Chigusa sew a repeating pattern of nine red circles, then one missing in white, into its deep blue fabric. She had even loosely braided her russet hair with small blue beads to achieve the illusion of dripping water. It was well-crafted, and No supposed it made sense given that Chigusa hailed from the city quarter the story was said to have occurred in._

 _No looked out the window again with impatience, only for a light gasp to leave her mouth as she saw the thick fog that had fallen over the graveyard. The night sky was clear, and as the gleam of the half moon reached the land below, the fog reacted to its touch. With bated breath, No watched as white tendrils began to rise from the dark earth, swaying on the night breeze like ghostly willow fronds. That was exactly what they were, No realized as one curled upwards into the armored figure of a man - ghosts._

 _It was the first time that she was able to see them. No leaned in closer, watching in awe as one spirit after another ascended from the graveyard. Some wore armor like the first, others ceremonial funeral garments, and others still in clothing that wouldn't have been out of place in Spectra's city. None of these seemed like entities that wished to do the living harm, despite what certain narratives around the Festival of Ghosts tended to lean towards. There was something otherwordly about them, to be sure - but No felt an inexplicable certainty in her chest that there was no reason to fear them._

 _"Whoa, careful, Kicho!" A hand grabbed onto her shoulder, and No tensed up on instinct before hearing Miyuri's laugh in her ears. "I know you want to get out into the city, but maybe don't fall out the window?" The dark-haired girl smiled through the green paint around her eyes when No turned around._

 _Gesturing towards the graveyard, No said, "Look out there! It's the ghosts!"_

 _This reaction was the odd one out. Chigusa visibly blanched, and from where Tsubaki stood by the mirror in her pink explosion of a disguise, she nervously chuckled. "Don't even start that, Kicho! Some of us want to have fun tonight, not be scared for our lives."_

 _Frowning, No clutched onto Miyuri's wrist and pulled her towards the window. "Can't you see them?" No asked, pointing to the procession of spirits that was vanishing through the castle gates and out into the city. This festival was meant for them after all, wasn't it? It couldn't be that No was the only person who they were visible to._

 _Miyuri's exaggerated mannerisms as she leaned out the window made it clear that she was only humoring No, but then No saw her blink in surprise, the dark-haired girl's breath seeming to catch in her throat. For a moment, No's heart leaped as Miyuri's mouth opened then closed again, as though she was trying to make sense of the dozens of specters that she could suddenly also see, because_ of course _somebody else was able to..._

 _Then she stood back, giving a high-pitched laugh that sounded too thin to No's ears. "Okay, Kicho, funny joke. But it's just a bunch of fog."_

 _Hearing the conviction in her voice, No realized that Miyuri had already managed to convince herself that was the truth, regardless of what she had just seen. Perhaps the stories that practically every child of Spectra could recite from memory, the trust that was instilled into them since birth that their home was called the kingdom of ghosts for a reason, still wasn't enough when one simply didn't want to believe what was in front of their eyes._

 _Resisting the urge to look back over her shoulder for herself to make sure that the ghosts were still there, No dismissively waved her hand in the air. "Alright, I was joking. The stories we'll hear in the city will be a lot better than that, anyways."_

 _"You all really take the Festival of Ghosts to a whole other level in Spectra, don't you?" Tsubaki asked as they exited the castle. She was the only one among them who hailed from an outside kingdom, although No couldn't match the faint traces of a dialect that the pink-haired girl's voice occasionally betrayed to anything she had heard in Nixtorm._

 _"Well, it comes from here," No said as they passed beneath the dark wood of the castle gates. Just as she remembered, the way into the city was lit by deep purple lanterns that had been set up along the path. "It only feels right that Spectra's should be the largest celebration."_

 _The Festival of Ghosts was honored all across Ransei now, and No had partaken in Nixtorm's version every year. It was that first night returning to Spectra's though, that she had finally felt home for the first time that she could recall in a long while._

 _It had also been No's first reminder that her awareness of the veil between the human and spirit worlds was one possessed by precious few others. What she could do was not something many else would understood, and the abilities of the matriarchs were not ones to be shared._

* * *

Yet No's abilities were on full display now, for all of Spectra to see. The stage was hers as she conducted the spirits who had answered her call, allowing the magic that was rising from her palms to thicken into an opaque purple haze. It swirled around her feet, the silhouettes of the former matriarchs continuing to rise around her as she raised her head to stare Fuyuka down.

Her aunt was leaning forward on the throne now, her blue-lacquered fingernails that No had painted just hours earlier pressing into its arms. The October wind continued to blow around them both, sending stray locks of Fuyuka's dark hair loose from where they had been woven into her golden headdress. "Well," she whispered, no amount of softness in her voice able to conceal her fury. "Isn't this a development?"

No refused to look back at the crowd, fully aware that her tattoo was on display to them as she heard the murmurs begin to spring up. It was common knowledge that wisterias were the symbol of Spectra's matriarchs, and No had just displayed far too much magic for the choice of flowers inked into her back to be coincidence. How strange it had been over the years, to hear herself being spoken of in hushed tones as Spectra's lost daughter. Few had truly thought that No would grow up with the desire to trade the safety of Nixtorm's glaciers for a kingdom of ghosts.

She matched Fuyuka's glare without flinching. Slowly, No let her next words leave her mouth one by one, making certain that the crowd clustered around the stage could hear them. "Hideko sends her regards." Without even having to turn, No could feel her mother's presence behind her, two ghosts from Fuyuka's past back to haunt the warlord who should never have been.

Fuyuka drew in a small breath as she looked upon the face of the sister who she had killed a decade earlier. Then her eyes shifted back to No, and she grimaced. "I had my suspicions for two years. Did you think yourself clever, hiding as my servant? I heard the stories tying you to those two men, what you did to them. It was only a matter of time before you couldn't restrain yourself again." She stood from the throne, her shadow cast across No's face. "You should have stayed in Nixtorm, my dear niece."

Before No could respond, Fuyuka unsheathed a dagger from beneath one of her sleeves, clenching her fist around the blade and letting the metal slice into her palm. No felt her mother's spectral hand clench protectively into her shoulder. "No, summon Misdreavus," Hideko breathed in warning.

It was easy now to feel her wavelength with Misdreavus flare into life, and one advantage of her partner being a Ghost Pokemon was that it could almost always be at No's side within an instant. But No couldn't properly welcome its company as she watched her aunt's blood drip onto the throne, and heard an unearthly groaning in response. A dark red vein of magic crept down the platform that held Fuyuka's throne, and as No watched in shock, it latched onto the nearest matriarch's spirit. The ethereal woman cried out in pain as the magic sunk into her, before her veins began to glow the color of dried blood beneath her pale skin.

Her body maintained its spectral form, but the violet of her eyes faded to a blank, pupil-less white. Fuyuka pressed her injured hand flat against the throne, forcing more blood out of the wound. The same dark red aura began to radiate from the affected matriarch, catching a second in its grasp. Then a third. No watched in horror as both of the women she had summoned underwent the same transformation, their cries of pain abruptly cut short by that eerie whiteout of their eyes.

"What is she doing?" No asked, tearing her gaze away from the three ghosts to make sure that Hideko and Misdreavus were safe.

Hideko's eyes were wide as she answered, "She's using blood magic. She can't call upon the matriarchs on her own, but since you brought them forth... she's using her own blood to take control of them by force. I didn't think -" Hideko shook her head. "All daughters of Spectra possess spirit magic. But hers was never this strong before."

A scream rose from the crowd as the matriarchs under Fuyuka's control turned towards the edges of the stage, their pale arms moving like marionettes on strings. Fuyuka raised her injured hand, the sleeve of her dress falling around her elbow and allowing the red rivulets of blood to run down her arm. As she did so, No noticed a strange bracelet hanging from her aunt's wrist that hadn't been there earlier in the night.

"Haven't you heard, sister?" Fuyuka asked, with a sickeningly false earnestness. "Things in Spectra have changed since I took your place." She swept her other arm out, eyes narrowing. "Guards! Subdue this woman!"

The possessed matriarchs turned to face No in sync, and there was more panic in the crowd as several armed men and women began to advance towards the stage. No saw Tsubaki push a protesting Miyuri back towards safety, Tsubaki's eyes a mixture of confusion and hurt as she looked over her shoulder at No. Chigusa was already standing further away, struggling to keep her face composed. And despite the masses of people retreating from the edge of the stage, Nobunaga remained staring at No for another several moments before an advancing guard nearly collided with him. No lost sight of the Dragon warrior as Hideko's voice filled her ears again.

"You still have most of us at your command. Follow what I tell you." Before No could ask her mother's spirit what she was supposed to do, she felt a strange vibration down her wavelength with Misdreavus. "I know it feels strange, but don't fight it," Hideko encouraged her. No's vision blurred for a moment as the second ripple pulsed through her body, and she feared that she was about to be at the mercy of Fuyuka's guards and wraiths. Then she opened her eyes, staring at - herself?

She was inhabiting a split consciousness, part of No still in control of her own body, but the other part now having access to Hideko's spirit. The sensation was disorienting, to put it mildly. The magic, though...

No didn't have time to test the full extent of her control over Hideko's spirit, but as the first of the guards reached the stage, No found that it was now much easier to conduct the matriarchs she had summoned. It was as though Hideko had given her access to some sort of hive mind connecting them.

Two of the ghostly women closed in around the guard at No's orders, and he began to frantically swing his katana at them with little success. Hoping that she could keep the rest just as preoccupied, No sent the remaining four matriarchs who hadn't been transformed by Fuyuka after the guards moving through the dissipating crowd.

Fuyuka looked between the trance-like veil that had fallen over No's eyes and how Hideko's outline seemed to be brighter than it had been moments before, her dark red lips twisting into a scowl. Wordlessly, she pointed with her uninjured hand at No, and the three wraiths began to close in. No struggled to re-balance the scales her consciousness seemed to rest upon, trying to shift more weight back to her own body. There was just enough of a connection to tap back into her wavelength with Misdreavus, and No's partner rushed to her protection.

The Ghost Pokemon was dwarfed in size by the first wraith that attacked. Nonetheless, it launched a Psybeam that scrambled the wraith's senses long enough for No to feel Hideko pushing back against her slightly.

Allowing her mother to guide her more precisely, No raised both her hands and Hideko's. The semi-possession she was sharing with her mother still didn't feel totally natural, but No was beginning to gain a more balanced perception of the way she assumed it worked - now, it was as though one of her eyes was Hideko's and the other her own.

Ordering Misdreavus to draw back, No looked down at the purple magic rising from her fingertips. _"Ghosts work the same way that Ghost Pokemon do,"_ she reminded herself. _"The easiest way to hurt them is by giving them a taste of their own power."_

The wraith had recovered from the disorientation of Misdreavus' attack, and swiped at No just as she thought this. No barely managed to throw herself backwards in time, noting with horror that Fuyuka's hold over the wraiths had done more than just alter their appearances. It was almost like the matriarchs were growing more animalistic. The one that was currently on the attack sliced its fingernails through the air like talons, while the other two were slowly closing in at the edges of No's vision.

 _"I'll keep them busy,"_ Hideko assured her. _"Let me go and focus on that one."_

Relinquishing the possession was gratefully much less stressful on No's wavelength. She stumbled as she was thrown fully back into her own body, though, throwing out a hand for protection more on instinct than any planned strategy. A thin, translucent barrier of violet magic unfolded between her and the wraith, and while the spirit's nails shredded through it quickly, it provided No the crucial time to regain her footing.

Her mind raced back through the year's worth of lessons that she had received from Eika before No and the older woman had fallen out. How differently did hand-to-hand combat work when it was against a ghost? No had to hope not too much as the wraith rushed her once more.

No ducked to the right, passing beneath the wraith's arms and forcing the palm of her magic-enshrouded hand into the point just below its chest. The wraith let out a shriek as No's hand made contact, although No couldn't tell if she had injured it or only made it more vengeful.

A flash of black hair registered in No's peripheral vision from where Hideko had been standing, and a chorus of inhuman snarls and howls erupted behind No. She didn't dare look over her shoulder, but she hoped that her mother's spirit was strong enough to fight two of her own predecessors. Some matriarchs carried more magic than others, but while Hideko's had been nothing to scoff at, the odds were still one against two - bringing No back to her own fight.

The wraith was trying to back her off the stage, No realized as it renewed its advance on her. Had Fuyuka's magic left it with some semblance of free will, or was it now being entirely controlled by No's aunt? No suspected the latter. She eyed the platform that Fuyuka stood rigid upon, her aunt more focused on Hideko's fight than No's. The only thing protecting Fuyuka was her height advantage; she was wide open other than that. If No could only find a way...

Deciding to take a risk, No lunged forward, moving to pass beneath the wraith's reach once more. Taking advantage of her disguise's long sleeves, she flicked her wrist and sent the fabric upwards, sacrificing the silk to the wraith's talons for the barrier that it provided. Of course, No only had one other sleeve she could pull that trick with, but at least she now had the majority of the stage at her disposal again. She wondered if she could find a way to conceal her own weapons like that...

From the sounds of fighting that were reaching her ears, No hoped Hideko was still holding out. _"Misdreavus, keep it distracted for as long as you can,"_ she ordered her partner. The Ghost Pokemon briefly phased into the shadows, then reappeared directly in front of the wraith's face. It gave an annoyed hiss as it swiped at Misdreavus, and the fact that Fuyuka's twisted magic had reduced a matriarch of Spectra to the feral thing that was attacking her now filled No with fury.

Weaving around the wraith's side as it became preoccupied with the nuisance that Misdreavus was making of itself, No's steps were almost an imitation of her earlier dance. She met eyes with Misdreavus, nodded, and kicked out at the wraith's legs just as her partner vanished to rejoin No's side. The wraith, having already thrown itself forward in an attempt to grab the Ghost Pokemon, tilted wildly to the side. Its blank eyes met No's for a moment, and No saw the path to finishing it laid out before her.

She used the momentary break to plant herself in preparation for the burst of magic, then thrust both of her hands outwards, the bursts of violet magic that shot from them seeming to pierce right through the wraith's chest. It froze mid-fall as it was cocooned by No's magic. Red light dueled purple as both seeped up through the spirit's skin, No's magic fighting to expel that of Fuyuka's from the dead matriarch.

The spirit seized up for a moment, and No feared that she had somehow caused more damage. Then a fragmented shadow was thrown outwards from the spirit's body, and when her shape took on a clear form again, No felt a jolt of triumph as she saw that she had returned the matriarch to normal. She locked eyes with her predecessor, offering the matriarch a nod of respect. _"I'm sorry for bringing you into this."_

The dead matriarch returned the gesture, seemingly satisfied. She looked to where the other of her kind who No had summoned were still engaged in fighting the castle guards, moving to join them without No having to give the order.

No turned towards where Hideko was fighting the remaining two wraiths in a grotesque blur of dark hair and white fabric. It couldn't quite conceal the jagged fingernails that the wraiths were using to swipe at Hideko's face, nor the glint of what looked like fangs now extending from Hideko's mouth. But it wasn't No's imagination - the wraiths' behavior was growing less and less human by the instant, and Hideko wouldn't be able to keep up with them for much longer without losing control of herself.

As No moved to help her mother, Fuyuka seemed to sense that she had lost control of one of the matriarchs. Her eyes moved back to No as she raced across the stage. "I don't think so," Fuyuka snarled.

One of the wraiths that had been attacking Hideko swiveled its neck towards No with an audible _crack_. Before No could react, it dropped onto all fours, scuttling across the stage towards her like some hellish insect. No jumped back out of revulsion, her eyes trying to track the pattern of its movements.

She brought her hands back, prepared to hit the wraith with the same magic that had healed the other matriarch - only to find the magic that came from them much weaker than before. In fact, it was barely even a sputter.

An unexpected throbbing burst in No's head as she tried to reach for magic that she realized wasn't there. Her world slowed to a halt as the wraith brought itself upwards in front of her. No was powerful, but her magic was not unlimited. She had hit her body's final reserves, and there wasn't nearly enough of it left for her to force Fuyuka out of one more matriarch, let alone two.

A shaky gasp tore from No's chest, and she had to throw herself to the floor of the stage to avoid a slash from the wraith that would have torn her throat open. She hit the dark wood harder than intended, and stars swam before her eyes as she tried to right herself. Even with Misdreavus, how was No supposed to fight against spirits without her own magic?

The most that she could call up now was the same thin barrier as before, holding her hand out in front of her face as the wraith's teeth snapped at the magic. From where Hideko was fighting the final wraith, No's mother threw the spirit off of herself with an angry cry, sending it sliding across the stage. Taking in the sight of her daughter's faltering shield, Hideko realized what had happened. "Retreat, No!" she shouted. "You need to recharge!"

 _"What?"_ Retreat? That had been how Hideko had lost Spectra ten years earlier. What was No supposed to do, run back to Nixtorm because she'd made one foolish mistake? That could not, would not be an option.

But the reality of her situation crashed down around No as her ability to sustain the barrier failed, and the fingernails of the wraith hooked into her skirt as No tried to roll to the side. No fought to pull away, finding relief only in the fact that her wavelength with Misdreavus seemed to operate separately from her spirit magic.

Misdreavus charged the wraith from behind, and No used the distraction of her partner's attack to tear at the damaged fabric of her skirt, freeing herself from the wraith's grip. _"If I had known that I would be in a brawl before the night was out, I would have worn something with less to grab onto,"_ she thought with some annoyance. She had worked hard on this disguise, too.

 _"Get ready to run, Misdreavus,"_ No warned her partner. They would find some refuge in the city, it didn't matter where, and she could regroup once her magic was restored. But No refused to leave her home again.

Hideko abandoned her own fight to aid her daughter, despite the scratch marks trailing across her face and neck. Standing in front of No and looking over her shoulder, she reassured, "I'll buy you as much time as I can. Misdreavus and the other Pokemon will help you, too." She nodded to No's partner, who gave a determined cry.

From atop her platform, Fuyuka was clearly losing patience, even as her guards began to shake free of the matriarchs and advance once more. No eyed the path off the stage that would create the largest amount of distance between her and them. She felt confident that she could lose any pursuers if she could make it into the alleyways that wove throughout every corner of Spectra's city. "Go!" she heard Hideko cry out just as Fuyuka shouted, "Finish her off!"

No ran as though she had all the wind in Ransei at her back. She barely even felt the impact of her feet against the ground as she jumped off the stage, immediately making for the shadows cast by the nearest street.

The candles on nearby shrines that might have betrayed her location sputtered out whenever she drew near, and No gradually recognized the silhouettes of Gastlys and Haunters hovering never too far away, their handiwork obvious. After completing the gauntlet of alleyways which she knew had left her on the boundary of Spectra's red light district, No finally stopped to catch her breath.

Even with the unrest that she could already pick up coming from the city, this neighborhood could always be counted on to conduct business as usual, especially during festivals. No probably wasn't far from Chigusa's former home, she realized. Looking down at her stained and shredded disguise, No grimaced. She looked the part of a street girl without a brothel a little too well for her liking. Where else in the city could she lie low for the night, though?

As she did her best to rearrange her skirt so the tear in the violet fabric could pass for deliberate, it struck No - the kimono shop. The tailor and her apprentice had always supported her claim, and No had planned to be there anyhow tonight. She retraced her steps back through the narrow roads hidden among the buildings of Spectra, doing her best to avoid the entryways that led out to the city's main streets. Although it hadn't even been an hour since the fight on the stage, No could already hear Fuyuka's guards beginning to patrol.

After several minutes of backtracking to mask her trail, No saw the familiar streetlights of Spectra's clothier district leaking into the shadows between its shops. Pressing herself against one wall of the alley, No cautiously peered out, then almost immediately brought her head back into cover. The kimono shop and several other businesses that she had frequented with the handmaidens were all surrounded by at least three guards each, with one warrior for every building. So that was out as well.

What did that leave her with? Although No had built herself a decently-sized network within the city, there weren't many people that she trusted well enough to place her safety in. Anywhere near the barracks would be nothing short of suicidal, and No didn't feel like banking on the hope that Eika would be willing to talk to her. Still, her head unconsciously moved in the direction of the soldiers' quarters...

And the idea fell into her head.

It would be a risk. But hadn't everything she had done over the past four years been a risk? Besides, No didn't have many other options if she wanted to remain in Spectra. Turning back in the direction of the city square, No began to retrace the path that she had taken the night of the fights.

When she reached the alleyway that ran behind the boarding house, No paused, sending Misdreavus ahead to ensure the coast was clear. After a tense minute, her partner reported back that the guards had already finished patrolling the inns around the square. Besides, No figured they probably thought she wouldn't be insane enough to hide so close to the scene that she had just created.

No looked at the open window of Nobunaga's room, three floors up. It was practically an invitation. She would have to climb, but after conquering the walls of Nixtorm's castle five years earlier, everything like it following had presented little challenge.

Misdreavus floated closer to her, the beads around its neck lighting up. No reached out, brushing them with her fingers, and drew her hand back sharply as an uncomfortable icy sensation charged up her arm. Then she gave her fingers a flex, and watched in fascination as the air around her skin seemed to shimmer. Hideko's final words to her in the square rang through No's mind - _"Misdreavus will help you."_

 _"Thank you,"_ No sent down her wavelength. The glamour wouldn't last for longer than a handful of minutes, but that was all No needed. Fortunately for her, the boarding house was an old building even by Spectra's standards, and its wall provided plenty of footholds. She was slightly out of practice, but after a handful of false starts, No found herself falling back into the familiar motion of hand and foot as easily as breathing.

She pulled herself onto the window ledge, taking a quick look inside the room while she still had the advantage of the glamour. Empty. It didn't seem as though Nobunaga or Zweilous had returned since she had last seen them just before the fighting had broken out. The autumn wind was blowing now with a determination to make up for the time it had missed, and No felt goosebumps break out over her skin at its cold touch. Her mind made up at that, she slid off the ledge and into the room.

She didn't have to wait very long.

Stiffening as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, No leaned against the wall nearest to the door as Nobunaga said something in a low voice to Zweilous before entering the room proper. The horned mask that he had been wearing earlier in the night was hanging from his hand, and No waited for him to rest it on the table beside the bed before clearing her throat.

Nobunaga unsheathed the sword hanging at his waist quicker than breathing, eyes narrow with focus on his perceived enemy before the moonlight falling into the room cast itself across No. Both of them stood tense, waiting for the other to make a move.

Finally, Nobunaga slowly propped the sword up against the table, although his eyes never moved away from No. "That was quite the show you put on," he said. "Even more so the talk spreading through the taverns now. I wonder how much of it is true, _Kicho_?"

Still eyeing the Dragon warrior, No arched an eyebrow, half a smile playing across her lips. "I think you already know that's not who I am. Just like I think you want to do more than overthrow those warlords in Dragnor we spoke of. All you need is an army."

Nobunaga's body played the role of unfazed well, but his eyes betrayed him. They both already knew exactly how this was going to end. "Is that so?"

Closing the distance between them with a soft rustle of fabric, No reached upwards with one hand to brush her fingernails along Nobunaga's face, gazing into those black eyes that promised a future of fire.

"My name is No," she breathed, their lips mere inches apart. "And I think we both stand to benefit from a partnership."

A soft chuckle, and a "Perhaps we do," was all that Nobunaga was able to say in response. No kissed the Dragon warrior before another word could leave his mouth, slowly at first, reluctant to separate their lips once they had met. Then a hunger like nothing she had ever known before overtook her, and when No kissed him again, it was as though the world was ending and Nobunaga was the last sight she would ever see.

Her soul had stepped into a bonfire after an eternity frozen in ice. As Nobunaga pulled her body against his, No wondered if he could feel the shockwaves that rippled through her muscles at the brush of his fingers through the fabric of her disguise. Even the thin silk was too much of a barrier between them, and besides, it was ruined anyhow.

Breaking their mouths apart with a gasp, No rolled her shoulders back, feeling the fabric slip down around her skin. Nobunaga's hands ran up her waist, pulling at her sash as they went with a deftness that suggested the Dragon warrior knew what he was doing.

No began to pull them towards the bed just as his hand reached the ink flowers tattooed into her skin, and she groaned into the next meeting of their lips. Nobunaga clearly caught on, pressing his fingers deeper into the muscles of No's exposed shoulder, and No couldn't have fought the shudder that ran up her body even if she had wanted to.

Her fingers tightened around Nobunaga's jaw as she felt the sash of her disguise come loose. No faintly registered the brush of the dusky purple fabric falling to the floor, and then Nobunaga's other hand was reaching past the slit of her skirt, fingers lightly running up her thigh like he couldn't entirely believe she was real. No smirked, dragging her palm down the well-muscled panes of the Dragon warrior's stomach until she reached the hem of his shirt.

She pulled at the dark fabric just as she felt the silk of her disguise fall around her waist. The night breeze kissed her exposed skin as it crept in through the window, but No was beyond the cold's grasp now.

No drew back, a silver figurehead in the moonlight as Nobunaga's dark eyes hungrily drank in the curve of her hips, the fullness of her breasts, the arch of her neck. Slowly reaching upwards, she unpinned her violet hair in a single motion and let her hairpin join her sash on the floor.

Was it her imagination, or could she see Nobunaga's pulse frantically beating beneath the ever-so-thin flesh of his throat? Just as the fantasy of this moment had sunk its way into her thoughts, No wanted to claw open his chest, to sink her nails into his beating heart.

They crashed onto the bed together, No's hands pulling the Dragon warrior's shirt over his head (oh, the view _was_ even better up close) as he rid her of what remained of her skirt. No gave a pleasured sigh as he kissed at the hollow of her neck, but the shape of Nobunaga's body above hers in the shadowed room called to mind another memory - one that sent No's blood rushing with a different kind of lust. Her mind was murderous, her hands dyed black by that brief glimpse into hell that they had torn open two years earlier, and how she _wanted_ to feel it again, but how to find it?

"Roll over," she whispered into Nobunaga's ear.

Nobunaga paused for a moment, only a moment, but No needed him now. She latched onto his arm, fingernails sinking into the black ink on the Dragon warrior's bicep. "Roll. Over," she ordered through her teeth. Nobunaga smiled slowly as he realized what No wanted, and all of No's desire broke over her at once, a truly unstoppable force.

She shoved the Dragon warrior downwards onto the bed, feeling his hands begin to run along her breasts as she climbed on top of him. That was good. This would hardly be interesting if he turned out to be the submissive sort the moment a woman was straddling him. No tore at the last of the clothing between them, eyes on Nobunaga's as she felt the phantom flames creeping over every inch of her skin. "Say my name," she breathed, never breaking his gaze.

It was more than foreplay. She wanted to hear four years worth of truth from his lips, enough to tear away every lie that she had woven for herself. Her name moaned as she took him inside of her. Her name in the blood that she could taste on her tongue as their kisses grew more and more frenzied. Her name filling the air as their bodies found a rapid-paced rhythm, Nobunaga's hands grasping at the dark tendrils of her hair like a drowning man to a tether.

Her head arched back as the release hit her, and the world turned red. _This_ was what No had been seeking, and so much more. Her blood sang with the destruction of who she had been, the final traces of the castle handmaiden exhaled on her sigh as she rode the pleasure out.

She had returned to her divine hell at last, and she had no intention of leaving.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 7**_

 **Two years earlier**

 _True to her word, Eika trained No as though she was one of the older woman's own soldiers. Which was to say, she showed no mercy._

 _If No's kick wasn't high enough, Eika would have her run the drill another twenty times, until every muscle in No's leg groaned at the thought of having to be lifted even once more. Hand-to-hand combat was similarly grueling, as Eika refused to let her height advantage over No be an excuse for whenever No lost (which was often). They were careful to make sure that No was never outwardly injured, but after their weekly sessions, No always collapsed into her bed with a weariness that she hadn't felt since those first confused days in Nixtorm._

 _No felt the shift in the way that she carried herself, though. It made a world of difference to have an actual teacher, one who did more than simply put up with her the way that her tutors in Nixtorm had always given the impression. No barely even minded having to walk up and down the snow-covered road from the castle into the city, even though her fellow handmaidens thought her mad for so willingly taking on "errand duty" in the middle of winter (in previous years, they had drawn lots for it)._

 _She learned several details about Eika during that first month. Eika originally hailed from Cragspur, but after linking with her Golurk, she had traveled to Spectra in the hopes that joining its army would help her gain a better understanding of her partner's Ghost nature. Eika also possessed_ _opinions about Spectra's current state which she wasn't shy about expressing in No's presence, and after two years in the company of servants who tiptoed everywhere around the castle, the older woman was a breath of fresh air that No hadn't even realized she'd been wanting._

 _One day in late February, No asked the question that had been nagging at her ever since their first meeting. Snow was falling in a light dust around them as they set about the usual covering of their activities. The area of the barracks that they used was a smaller practice ring off from the main training ground, tucked away but not free from interruption. Once Eika had packed away the training dummy, No inquired as she shrugged her cloak back on, "_ _Eika, if you've been in Spectra's army for a decade, why are you only a unit commander? In other kingdoms, couldn't a warrior like yourself be a general by now?"_

 _The question obviously wasn't one that Eika had been expecting. She exchanged a look with Golurk, and No wished that she could understand how the partner-Pokemon connection worked for herself. Even though it was only seconds, No couldn't help but feel as though she was missing out on an entire conversation._

 _But Eika seemed to make up her mind as she declared out loud, "Fair point, old friend." Leaning against the archway that connected the practice ring to the arcade leading to the main barracks, she turned back to No and shrugged, "Golurk reminded me that if you were feeding Fuyuka any of what I've been saying, she would have already sent me off. I figure it can't hurt to tell you the story of why I bother to stick around. I should start by asking you how much you know about Fuyuka's predecessor, Lady Hideko?"_

 _The sound of No's mother's name hung in the air alongside the clouds of her and Eika's breath. When_ was _the last time that No had heard Hideko's name spoken out loud?_

 _After a moment, No shook off the unexpected surprise enough to get out, "As much as everyone else. I had to find employment where I could, though."_

 _"You and I have that in common, little Seviper," Eika said. "But make no mistake, Hideko was the matriarch who I came to Spectra to serve under._ _She helped me when I was still trying to figure out my link with Golurk, among other things._ _" The older woman shook her head, softly laughing to herself._

 _"She wasn't exactly what I had been expecting, with all the stories you hear about Spectra when you're an outsider. I only saw her get into the magic stuff once, but it was enough to give a full-grown woman like me nightmares." Whatever darkness that memory held, Eika shuddered at it before continuing, a sight that No had never expected to see._

 _"I owed Hideko one for taking the chance on me and Golurk, but it wasn't just that. We... worked well together. I don't know how appropriate it would be to say that we were friends, but we certainly weren't strangers by the end of those two years." Eika looked down as she added, "And I didn't see Fuyuka coming either, so I feel like some of the blame lies with me."_

 _Now that No thought about it, she did have memories of a female guard with a build like Eika's. Her dark brown hair had been longer eight years ago, and her arm hadn't been scarred yet._

 _She had also been one of Hideko's only guards who No hadn't seen in the aftermath of Fuyuka's coup._

 _"Long as I live, I'll never forget that night," Eika sighed to the gray sky. "The woman played her cards well, I'll hand her that. Things were less tense in the castle when she wasn't around. Hideko made Fuyuka her ambassador, so she never objected over Fuyuka's traveling to other kingdoms, even the times when she dropped off the radar for days. What we didn't know was that once Fuyuka was done with Hideko's business, she had her own. She recruited rogues and mercenaries from all over northern Ransei. Any warrior who didn't ask questions when she handed them money."_

 _This was the first time that No had heard the story in full. She had never expected it to sit easy with her, but the misgivings stirring in her gut now weren't from the parts that she had been expecting. It had been easier for No to dismiss the success of Fuyuka's actions as mere luck. Having to acknowledge her aunt's role as that of a genuine tactician left No fighting the urge to grimace._

 _"She staggered how she brought them into Spectra - some of them came straight here and joined up with the commanders that she had already bought the loyalty of. The ones who were better at blending in, she positioned in the city. They charged the castle and the barracks at the same time, made sure we couldn't send for help." Eika's face turned from angry to somber. "I wasn't one of Hideko's guards that night. Sometimes I wonder if it might have made a difference."_

 _Her hand moved to the scar on her shoulder as she said, "It's the worst kind of chaos, being in a fight and having no idea who around you can be trusted. Most of Hideko's men were in the castle. There was more bloodshed there." At this, No thought back on the several occasions that she had encountered cold spots in seemingly random parts of Spectra's castle. Had those been where her mother's_ _guards were killed?_

 _"Golurk and I put up a fight for as long as we could hold out. It took three of those bastards to finally put us down, and they had to take out my blade arm to do it. I thought I was a goner then and there, but they just separated me and Golurk. When dawn came, I was brought up to the castle, and when I saw Fuyuka sitting on that throne..." Eika's eyes darkened, while the runes carved into Golurk's body glowed ominously. "I won't tell you all the ugly things I wanted to do to her."_

 _"She spouted off some crap about 'acknowledging my strength', and gave me the offer to serve under her. I was about to tell her to shut up, only in less polite terms. But right when I opened my mouth, some unlucky guard ran in announcing Hideko had gotten away." Raising her eyebrows, Eika remarked, "Realizing Hideko was alive - that changed everything._ _When she came back for her daughter, I couldn't believe she had taken the risk of staying near the city for so long. I did my best to hold Fuyuka's men up, but I couldn't do anything too obvious. At least after the guards she lost that night, Hideko finally had the sense to get out of Spectra, for all the good it did her."_

 _No decided to brave the subject. "And... Hideko's daughter? She's still alive, isn't she?"_

 _Eika gave a loud huff, almost bordering on a laugh. "Yeah, Fuyuka wasn't happy when that got back to her. But she knew better than to start a war with Nixtorm over it. After eight years being raised inside another kingdom's court, though? Let's just say my hopes aren't high that little No has much of an allegiance to Spectra anymore."_

 _Sighing, she concluded, "So to answer your question, little Seviper, I've stayed under Fuyuka for the same reason as most - there's nowhere else. There's nothing in Cragspur I miss badly enough to go back. And if I ever had the chance to see Hideko's daughter again, I'd probably tell her to stay in that castle right where she is."_

* * *

As No opened her eyes, it took her a moment to remember the events of the previous night - why the shadows cast on the ceiling by the predawn light seemed so different. Why she could feel another figure lying beside her in this unfamiliar bed.

The memories of the disastrous festival and all that occurred afterwards came rushing back, just as vivid in recollection as they had been in person. No's eyes widened as she made to search for the wellspring of magic that had so abruptly gone dry the night before - but she didn't have to. She could feel it there once more, ready to answer her call if need be.

In fact, No felt better than simply restored. It was almost as though accessing Hideko's spirit had somehow sharpened her own powers...

At the thought of her mother's name, a sudden shadow split across No's mind. There was a staircase, leading down. An eerie purple light cast softly onto dark walls. And an overwhelming sense of fear, fury, despair.

No gasped, and as quickly as the strange premonition had invaded her thoughts, it was gone. A remnant from one of the spirits that she had encountered the previous night? As a test, No called to mind an image of Hideko again, but nothing was triggered this time. It had most likely just been some stray trace of a spirit clinging onto her.

She rolled onto her side, her attention shifting to the man lying next to her. Nobunaga.

It was a new experience for No, waking up in the same bed as someone else. The midnight flings that she had shared at the castle hadn't provided a chance. No closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of the warrior from Dragnor. This man who had gone from stranger, to kindred spirit, and now to partner. The first person that No had laid her full truth bare before - who had, in a way, helped set her free.

Even in sleep, his face seemed serious. No's eyes searched its contours as she lightly ran a finger across Nobunaga's collarbone, lingering for a moment at the hollow of his neck where his pulse faintly beat. She traced up his shoulder, down to spiral over the black dragon inked into his bicep.

Quick as lightning, Nobunaga's hand closed around her wrist. Opening his eyes, he remarked, "Enjoying yourself?"

"Not as much as last night," No smirked without missing a beat. She propped herself up on one elbow, curious about the tattoo. "Tell me about Dragnor," she said. "Anything. What your life was like there."

Nobunaga's gaze moved to the ceiling as he thought. "It's a world apart from Spectra," he began. "But we honor our dragons much in the same way that you honor your ghosts. Because of that, Dragnor maintains a degree of isolation, even in times of peace. In my grandfather's youth, there were poachers who nearly wiped out entire breeds of Dragon Pokemon. Some lines, such as the one that Zweilous hails from, are still rare even today. We linked shortly after I joined Dragnor's army, when my unit was sent into the mountains for training. That was also when I took this on." Nobunaga nodded at the ink dragon.

"The black Rayquaza is second only to the Legendary Pokemon itself in Dragnor. We believe it to be a guardian of sorts. The legend goes that it was the partner of Dragnor's first warlord, and that after his death, it retreated into the mountains to watch over the kingdom from the heavens. You can see why the army adopted its guise." His eyes lingered on the ouroboros as he continued, "The traditional tattoo is the same as the oligarchy crest, but the story of the ground-eating serpent always spoke to me."

"Yes, I'm familiar," No nodded. "The creature was so blinded by its pursuit of a power that it already possessed, it never thought to unleash itself."

"But was that a blessing or a curse upon the rest of the world?" Nobunaga mused as No's fingers slid over the inked skin once more. No answered him with a kiss, one that would have almost certainly led to several things more had it not been for the sudden sound of a commotion outside the open window.

No and Nobunaga broke apart, the twilit luxury of being able to forget their roles shattered. Nobunaga rose from the bed first, crossing the floor to glance outside. "It's some sort of trouble with the castle guards," he said. No heard a man bellowing in a furious voice, and it took a moment for his words to become clear.

"Were you the one responsible for this?" A brief silence, followed by a smacking sound and a woman crying out in pain. Nobunaga looked back at No, and she was out of the bed at once, calling to Misdreavus as she pulled on a yukata from the room's small closet. Nobunaga finished dressing just as Misdreavus appeared in the corner of the room, and after a nod from No, the Dragon warrior left to investigate ahead of her.

 _"Are you alright?"_ No asked her partner. Misdreavus sent a pulse of confirmation down their wavelength, and the beads around its neck faintly glowed. _"Do you have enough strength to glamour me again?"_ Misdreavus almost seemed offended that No had felt the need to ask.

 _"Just making sure,"_ No appeased the Ghost Pokemon as she braced herself for the magic's icy shock once more. _"It wouldn't do to have my powers back only for yours to be compromised."_ She still involuntarily flinched as the glamour's charge crept up her arm, but at least she had known what to prepare for this time. The glamour seemed to affect the air around No more than her body, but to concentrate such an amount of magic was bound to have a more present physical effect than usual.

Misdreavus kept close to her in the shadows while No crept down the stairs as quickly as she dared. She and Nobunaga hadn't been the only ones drawn outside by the noise, and No had to take extra caution to avoid unnecessary physical contact as she navigated the crowd that had formed outside the boarding house. Hopefully, the few people who had brushed up against her hadn't thought anything of it.

When she managed to find a line of sight through the crowd, it took No a moment to comprehend what must have happened. Before the platform that had housed the dancers' stage the night before, a woman was collapsed on the ground, glaring at the guards standing over her. The woman's clothing was stained purple in places, and No realized why as her gaze was drawn to the stage.

Trails of beautiful wisteria blossoms had been painted along its side, their vines curling into the characters of Hideko's name. There was no possible way that it had been the woman's sole handiwork, in such the short amount of time that there would have been to create the painting - which could only mean that she was now refusing to give up whoever else had helped her.

One of the guards grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her upwards despite her cry of protest. As his companion signaled to the rest of their unit to disperse the crowd, the woman shouted, "My loyalty is to Lady Hideko! You can't erase what we saw last night!" The guard holding her wrenched her arm behind her back, and the woman yelped in pain as two more soldiers split off to bring her back to the castle.

Another handful of people tried to protest as the guards shepherded them away from the stage, only to find weapons being pointed at them - the cityfolks' voices failed within their throats at that. But No still heard murmurs around her, murmurs that sent her heart racing. It was too risky to reveal herself right here and now, but she needed to fan at the discontent that she had caused while it was still burning.

After several seconds more of maneuvering through the crowd, No found Nobunaga, tapping him on the shoulder. "There's an exit out the back of the boarding house," she said under her breath. "Meet me in the alleys. It's safer to talk there."

The glamour faded not a moment too soon, practically the instant that No and Misdreavus were once more within the shadows of Spectra's labyrinthine backstreets. A minute later, Nobunaga and Zweilous rounded the corner near where No had climbed into his room the night before, the Dragon warrior's hand on the hilt of his sword. "Now that we're in the light of day, do you care to explain what your plan is?" he asked.

His words rubbed at something raw inside of No. Truthfully, she felt as though all the pieces that she had collected throughout her time in Spectra had been thrown into the air, and now she was scrambling to catch them before any more could shatter. She doubted that would sound particularly reassuring, but it must have been conveyed on her face to some extent, because Nobunaga shook his head.

"Do not fall into the same trap that ensnared me when I learned about the oligarchy's plans," he warned. "I wasted time entertaining prospects that I had no means of carrying out, and because of that, they nearly succeeded at killing me. My sister is still in harm's way because of my failure. For both of our sakes, No, this has to be done correctly."

They were still too close to the square for No's liking. Without responding to Nobunaga, No let her feet carry her of their own accord, not even sure herself which part of Spectra's city they were leading her to.

Nobunaga followed her deeper into the alley, and although No was facing away from him, she could feel the scrutiny of his gaze upon her as he pressed, "The prospect that the fate of Ransei was resting in my hands wasn't enough to make me calculate my actions. If anything, it did the opposite. I knew that I was in danger, but I didn't realize that threat could be transferred to someone else. I thought that I had fallen into some sort of hero's story, the same way that the people in that square see you."

"How amusing. I was under the impression that they saw me as a murderer," No finally hissed.

They had come upon a small, forgotten courtyard housing an equally-so shrine. Even this one was decorated for the Festival of Ghosts, but it didn't look as though the few faded scrolls hanging from its stone face had been written any time recently. No made to move past it, but Nobunaga was quicker. He took advantage of the larger space, stepping in front of No and blocking her path so that she had little choice but to look at him.

"Whatever you've done in your past, you can divulge on your own terms," Nobunaga said. "But right now, it's not you that those people want to follow. It's the ghost of your mother, and a woman who is already dead cannot be the sole thing holding a revolution together."

Part of No wanted to demand what Nobunaga could possibly know about the specter of Hideko that had haunted her long before the night that No had linked with Misdreavus. And yet, now that No was out of the castle and the full moon's light, where her mother's voice wasn't echoing in her ears and the once-absolute barriers between her worlds had been ground into dust… _"Why do_ you _care, No?"_ she asked herself.

The stone of the shrine pressed against her back, perpetually cold within the shadows of the courtyard. How had this place even come to be, a forgotten pocket that some soul had felt the need to carve out, only to tuck away behind the shops and streets full of people who might frequent it? There had to be a story, and what frustrated No was that she couldn't glean any of its history – not even from the prayers tied to the shrine, the lettering on them weathered to little more than shadows on paper; not even the small cluster of drooping wisterias clinging to the archway that she and Nobunaga had passed beneath to enter.

"Spectra," No breathed.

Her eyes found Nobunaga's as she answered, "The Spectra you've spent the last few weeks in is the only Spectra you know. But the memories that I have of it are different."

Voice shaking, No recalled, "There was an entire quarter of the city dedicated to magic. Former warriors who decided to take up card reading or rune carving. Mediums, not as strong as someone of my bloodline, but still capable of channeling. Scholars who simply wished to understand the ways that Ransei exists differently from the rest of the world. I loved when my mother would take me there with her. Even as a child, I could feel the power that it drew from Spectra. If the castle is the city's brain, that place was the city's heart."

Nobunaga moved closer to No, as though he too was trying to see through the lens of her memory. "The first time I went back after returning here," No continued, "I barely recognized it. Practically everyone was gone, even some of the priestesses in the Temple of Arceus. All of Spectra has been like that under Fuyuka."

Recalling the exhilaration of the festival, No felt the anger returning too as she said, "The way that the city felt last night is how it always used to feel. An outsider might not be able to see it, but Spectra has been suffocating for a decade. How can it not, when the woman who is supposed to protect it doesn't understand a thing about it?"

The magic pooled from her palms, and Misdreavus gave a low cry in response to its partner's fury. No latched onto their wavelength, and without warning, a burst of purple light shot from her hands. No felt the stone of the shrine crack where she had been touching it as it absorbed the pulse.

Nobunaga watched the display without comment, but nodded as No breathed in afterwards. "We do understand each other, then. The way that emotion consumes you is what you need to remember. When all else fails, call upon something that sustains your, and nobody else's goals. Tell me again now - what is your plan?"

"We need an army before anything else," No started. "There are warriors among the cityfolk, and it's likely only the soldiers on Fuyuka's payroll will defend her. Even though you have military training, I'm not certain how many of the people here would trust someone they don't know. I can try to make up for some of that, but having a higher-ranking officer on our side would be best."

"You just said that they're all the ones who Fuyuka has under her thumb," Nobunaga pointed out.

Turning her head towards the northern quarter of the city, No knew what she had to do. "Not all of them."

* * *

 **16 months earlier**

 _No had debated whether it would be wise to return to the barracks so soon. But she had never missed training with Eika before, and didn't wish for the older woman to think that No had decided to blow it off, or been scared away in the wake of what had rocked the city the day before. Still, No took the long way to the barracks to avoid being seen by too many._

 _As it turned out, she needn't have bothered._

 _Looking back, No supposed her first indication that something was wrong should have been that Eika was already waiting for her in the training ring. Normally, No began by running through the previous week's drills on her own while Eika finished whatever her duties that afternoon entailed. But that day, No's greeting had been the sight of sheer fury on Eika's face._

 _It was an expression that No had never truly seen before, not directed at her. Even when she had climbed Nixtorm's walls, Mitsuhide's anger had been watered down by his concern for her safety. Eika, though - in this moment, she was a tidal wave bearing down on No, even her hoarse whisper seeming to shake the foundations of the barracks as she asked, "What the hell did you do?"_

 _And she threw a knife down at No's feet._

 _A knife that they had both seen No practice with for months now. A knife that, somewhere in the haze No's memories became between the moment she had felt the blood on her skin and the moment the door to the room had opened, she had dropped and forgotten to collect. A knife that had confirmed for Eika what everyone else in the city could only speculate._

 _Even as No opened her mouth to try and respond, there was nothing to say. Eika was far beyond accusations, she was stating what they both knew to be fact. No supposed her response would have been the truth, that she had tried to think back on those minutes between her last clear recollection of slashing the knife upwards and coming back to her body outside on the street, only to find a blackout in her memory. But all that she managed to get out were the words, "I don't-", and those were not the words that Eika wanted to hear._

 _"Don't you dare feed me that bullshit!" Eika snapped, and No backed up against the wall. "I said that I would train you to defend yourself! When I walked into that room, I saw one body missing a throat, and the other barely recognizable as human. It looked like a damn slaughterhouse. The only reason we could identify them was because their Pokemon were hysterical, still are hysterical because of how violently their links were severed! What you did to them goes well beyond anything I made you capable of!"_

 _Was this sensation churning in No's stomach fear? That thing which she had locked away in all the years since that horrible day in Nixtorm's forest, never truly feeling it even as she had stowed away on a blimp to Spectra, or entered that room only one floor up from where she stood now two nights earlier? And how was it that No had never felt it standing in the presence of the woman who had taken everything from her and lying to her face day after day, but it threatened to consume her now as each word left Eika's mouth?_

 _For a moment, No was certain that she was going to have to block a strike from the older woman. It looked as though Eika was more than building up to one. But all it took to leave No frozen in her tracks was Eika's next question._

 _"How long were you planning to kill them? How long did you think you would be able to lie to me about it, No?"_

 _The sound of No's name on Eika's tongue was the opposite of everything that Hideko's had been - it ripped open a wound and filled it with venom, turning No's blood to ice despite the summer heat. No realized that Eika had chosen to come without Golurk today, and felt a sickening surge of relief at that much._

 _"I was always planning to tell you who I was -" No began, but Eika cut her off once more._

 _"You think_ that's _what I'm angry about?" she fumed. "That you used a false name?"_

 _It was almost worse that Eika wasn't shouting. Her words echoed only in No's mind as she continued in that same hushed fury, "I'm angry because your mother died to make sure you could be somewhere remotely safe, only for you to decide a few years later you didn't want it! I told you I only saw her magic once, but I saw it again all over what was left of those warriors' bodies._ That's _what told me what you are. And if I knew, there will be others who recognize it too. People_ did _recognize you, if the rumors I heard about a bloodstained handmaiden walking the streets two nights ago are anything to go by."_

 _Eika had kept several paces between her and No throughout her tirade, as though she didn't want to breathe No in. Even her eyes turned away from No as she said, "And you know what sickens me the most? I can't even ask you why I shouldn't turn you in. I'm going to help you get away with it, and that should finally make up the debt I owe your mother. But after that, I'm done."_

 _She walked right past No through the archway, paying No about as much mind as she would a blank wall. Yet No still turned after her, finally getting out, "Who do you think that I returned to Spectra for, Eika?"_

 _When Eika looked back, it wasn't even anger in her copper eyes anymore - only disbelief, flat on her voice. "Hideko didn't use her magic on humans, No. That was a line she wouldn't cross, no matter what." The implication was left unsaid, but it sunk into No's chest like the blade of the dagger that she clutched in her hand once more._

 _She didn't call after Eika again as the warrior walked out of her sight._

 _No went back to the castle, where Tsubaki forced an illusion that nothing had happened and Miyuri and Chigusa seemed to defend No from accusing glances more out of fear than friendship. And from all of them, No learned that it was far easier to ignore what others thought of her when they meant nothing to her life._

* * *

Eika's status as unit commander was just high enough to grant the woman her own quarters separate from the barracks. No had only been here once when she and Eika had been on speaking terms. It was small, made of the same pale gray stone as most of Spectra's buildings, and thankfully had a back door.

After breathing in and knocking on the dark wood, No's eyes traced up the ivy that clung to the alley wall. She heard the sound of footsteps inside the house, and brought her eyes back to the door just as it was thrown open to reveal a familiar face - one which looked less than pleased as Eika took in the sight of No, Misdreavus, Nobunaga, and Zweilous all darkening her threshold.

To her credit, she didn't immediately slam the door in No's face.

More accurately, Eika closed her eyes, drew in an extended breath through her nose, and said, "You have one minute to make me stop praying that this and all of last night has only been one extended nightmare."

That was about the best reception No could have hoped for. "Eika," she began, going over what she had rehearsed on the way. "You were there for me three years ago when I had nothing to offer you. This time, I do. You know who I am and why I'm here, and what I'm offering you is the chance to bring down Fuyuka that you and I both couldn't take on our own. I'm not here because I want you to like me or show me the same extent of loyalty that you showed my mother. But Spectra is restless because of what I did last night, and now I need people who can help me turn that into something capable of defeating Fuyuka. Show me one last thing - how to command an army."

Eika's face remained unmoved as her eyes flicked to Nobunaga. "And you? How did you get roped into this?"

"I have my own reasons," Nobunaga provided. "Namely, I also have found myself in need of an army. I believe that the saying is 'to kill two Spearows with one stone'."

Eika muttered a swear regarding how big those particular Spearows must be just loud enough to make it clear that she had meant for No and Nobunaga to hear it. She looked back over her shoulder into the house, and warned, "Don't make me regret this," before moving to let No and Nobunaga enter.

While Eika drew curtains over the front windows and went about waking up Golurk (which apparently slept by propping itself against the wall like some sominous totem), No observed the inside of Eika's home. It was mostly comprised of one large room, with a stairway leading up to a loft that No assumed housed Eika's bed. A small door to the side of where they entered lead to a washroom, but other than that, the front entrance space and small kitchen blended together. There was little in the way of decoration, although No was surprised to see that the ivy from outside also hung in trellises along the walls and up the stairway. She hadn't thought Eika the botanical sort.

Golurk seemed just as wary of No and Nobunaga as its partner, but No was surprised to be able to _feel_ something coming from it now. It wasn't nearly as strong as her wavelength with Misdreavus, but much like the Ghost Pokemon that she had summoned in the shrine, there was something there that No suspected she could tap into if she wanted to.

"Well, start talking," Eika said as she walked back to the kitchen with a bundle under her arm and began fixing some tea. "This is not the day I want to show up late to the barracks, after the stunt you pulled last night. That wasn't exactly how I thought I'd be seeing Hideko again."

Nobunaga went first, telling the same story that he had told No about the situation in Dragnor. Eika leaned against the counter as she took in the details of the wavelength machine, brows raising when Nobunaga concluded on the note that Spectra would almost certainly be the first target. "Based on the timespan of when the machine can be completed, there are certain months out of the year where the border between Nixtorm and Dragnor is near-impenetrable, no matter the size of the force. It's what keeps our kingdoms in their current stalemate. But Spectra offers no such obstacle, making it the ideal testing ground."

"Well, I'm so glad to know that's how we're thought of," Eika remarked. Turning her attention back to No, she added, "It's a surprisingly decent cause worth fighting for. But that's assuming you can place yourself in a position to command Spectra's army, and your would-be forces aren't wiped out in the power seize. To avoid that, you'll have to play it the same way Fuyuka did - fast and plotted."

Eika withdrew a letter from the bundle that she had set down beside her, the one that No had sent asking her to come to the kimono shop. "This was a good try, I'll give you that," Eika said. "There are enough people in the barracks who I can win over to helping you. I can also give you the names of the warriors in the city, we all know each other. Fuyuka is probably going to try spreading the word that you've fled the city the same way Hideko did - that's how she got the masses to stop fighting her the first time. You need to step up as a leader before that can gain too much ground. Call another meeting if you can, but somewhere that will be harder for Fuyuka's men to crash."

"Perhaps that courtyard in the alleyways?" Nobunaga suggested. "The message could contain different entry points, so as not to create a crowd that would draw attention."

No and Eika exchanged an uncertain look. "Not everyone is as comfortable in the alleyways as I am," No explained. "There's a superstition that they're a gray area between the human and spirit worlds. It might be true, in total honesty - I've experienced instances within them where time seemed to move differently. The breakdown between the realms that the Festival of Ghosts marks already tends to make people nervous this time of year."

"I think that's a risk you'll have to take," Eika said, and Nobunaga nodded in agreement. "You did make a statement last night. People will want to get a closer look at you, for better reasons this time." No didn't miss the bite to Eika's tone in the second half of that sentence. That conversation was going to be had at some point, and No doubted that they planned for it to go in the same direction.

"What about the castle?" Eika asked, glancing towards No with an expression that read "later". "If you don't already have a way inside, forcing one won't be pretty."

"Leave that to me," No said. "In fact, I can take care of that as soon as we're finished here."

"Can you now?" Eika responded in that same flat voice from before. When No didn't give any indication of providing more details, the older woman sighed, "Alright. Just make sure you cover your tracks this time." For someone who didn't seem keen on directly bringing up the past, Eika wasn't above throwing out two years' worth of barbs over it. Nobunaga's expression as he watched No's interactions with her made it clear he had noticed the undercurrent of history that ran between the two women.

"I've learned my lessons," was No's only response. Looking back at Nobunaga, she said, "I think that it would be better if Misdreavus and I handled the castle on our own. Not many people saw us interacting before, which means less suspicion cast onto you."

"Then in the meantime, I will try to reach out to my allies in Dragnor again," Nobunaga answered. "I doubt that my flight has put me out of the oligarchy's mind, but there were several members of my old unit that did believe me before my story reached the ears of the wrong person. If I can get through to any of them, I can ask them to look for any signs of progress on the machine."

"We have our roles, then," No confirmed. The small space between the three of them and their Pokemon crackled with an energy that filled No with something dangerously close to optimism, even in spite of Eika's grudge and the threats that Nobunaga foretold. It was a massive "maybe"... but maybe this was a plan that could work.

Before No could leave, Eika pushed the rest of the bundle towards her. "Some better clothes than that," she clarified, casting a disdainful look at the oversize yukata that No currently wore. "Just because you want to be the next Ghost warlord doesn't mean you need to look the part so literally."

"Thank you," No responded as she took the clothes. Holding Eika's gaze, she added in a lower voice, "For everything." It was the closest to an apology that the warrior would be getting from her, but No thought Eika deserved that much at least.

"Save it for later," Eika said. "Send that witch to hell where she belongs first."


End file.
